Toddler Times
by LilyGhost
Summary: Matty from my story "Baby Steps" is back in this continuation story featuring the same multi-character POV format, same family fun with a baby brother adding to it, and the same Babe relationship holding everything and everyone together.
1. Chapter 1

**This chapter took longer to write than it should have, but Matty did get me through a rough patch ... hopefully his sweetness can do the same for someone else needing a bright spot in their day. Everyone familiar belongs to Janet. Mistakes are mine alone. Most of the party stuff I saw online.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Ranger's POV**

"I don't need direction, Babe," I said into her silky-smooth skin.

"I know. I wouldn't have a stomach larger than one just full of doughnuts if you didn't know your way around my body."

She had proved to be extremely playful tonight, coming out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed, wearing a smile and the ' _I Love My Soldier_ ' t-shirt she bought herself, since the ones I'd brought home for her stopped fitting when Ty started growing. The happy - and about to be satisfied - smile isn't unexpected. Nor is my wife wearing just a shirt to bed. But what I hadn't anticipated when I quickly got her out of the shirt, was Stephanie leaving me messages on her body in glow in the dark body paint.

Having to first go through boot camp to become who I am today, I understand the importance of following certain orders. Considering how sweet this particular reward is, I'm all-too-willing to play along. I smiled as I kissed my way down to where Tyler Lorenzo Manoso is currently living and thriving. Maybe I should be questioning my sanity for having three children, when last year I still believed I may not deserve the two I already have. But I've learned to take whatever good comes my way without looking for a reason why it shouldn't.

Julie changed my life in a fundamental way. Matthew took my appreciation of life - and mine in particular - to a whole other level. Knowing I'm about to have a second child with Stephanie, who seems more in love with me than she was even this morning, has the power to rock my foundation.

She may think a pregnancy belly is a deterrent, or something she needs to tempt me into overlooking, but I feel otherwise. That _I'm_ the _only_ man she would ever have - or even consider having - a child with, seeing her get rounder with our second, makes me want her with an obsession that should scare her but doesn't.

I followed every skin-suggestion and kissed her stomach and the inside of her knee. I licked her neck, and sucked the pulse beating rapidly in her wrist where she still plans to fulfill her Christmas tattoo-gift of our fingerprints after Ty's born and there will be no risk to him.

Her breasts received attention whenever I passed them, and so did her thighs and all that lay between them. Pregnancy does change our sex life, but in no way that has either of us using it as an excuse to stop. Aside from some adjusting when something is feeling too tender to be touched, Steph still welcomes my touch as much as I need hers.

It took a-pregnancy-and-a-half to get Stephanie feeling confident in herself and her changing body to crawl over and up me ... and just taking me the way she wants to. And I have absolutely no objection to that whenever she feels inclined. Once I strayed from my orders _two handfuls_ of times, taking control is exactly what she did. I let her roll me onto my back so she could take only what she can handle. She curled a leg over my hips and with her palms pressing into my sweat-coated chest, she tortured us both by sliding too slowly down onto me before we worked each other to completion.

Less than six hours later, we were showered and dressed and more than ready for our immediate future.

"Can you believe our _baby_ is _two-years-old_ today?" My wife asked me.

"Yes. I wouldn't be surprised if he walked into our room in three minutes and told us to go back to bed because he's staying here to run Rangeman today."

She smiled as she hugged me. "I can picture that too. He's so childlike, yet also more mature than I am. He'd be a good boss ... definitely a fair and positive one. Just like his Daddy."

"I do what I can."

"And you do it well. I couldn't build a better example of what a man should be, or wish for a better role model for our kids to have, than you. I wouldn't want a different one ... ever. You know that, right?"

I curled my arms around her and held her tighter. "I do. You say a variation on the same sentiment everyday. Sometimes more than that when we've had an encounter with your family or someone from your past life."

She gave me an embarrassed smile at my pointing that out. "It's stupid, isn't it? You know just how much I love you. After being together for years, you likely get that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else or with anyone else."

"I don't _need_ reminders, but I do enjoy hearing them. Just remember that I don't care what anyone except my family thinks about me."

"I know, but it pisses me off that my own family still can't appreciate you or admit how incredible you are."

"In all fairness, Babe," I said into her hair, "they can't even appreciate you. Clearly, they're intimidated by greatness."

I felt her smile as well as Ty's kick against my midsection. "Our baby must agree. Maybe that whole greatness-theory is why my mom looked none-too-pleased when she found out I'm pregnant again. She had to finally face the fact that I'm never packing up Matty's life and running away from you with him, if you and I got started on baby number two before Matty even turned two. Just us arranging our next stay in Miami before I get too pregnant to fly, seemed to have driven the final nail in the alternate life she wanted for me's coffin."

"Making small talk with your father about the modifications we've had done to our apartment to make the outside foyer into an inside room so we have room for five plus a dog, likely added to her indigestion. She underestimated you again. Motherhood wasn't too hard - and loving me is too easy - for you. You have no reason to go 'running back to the Burg' or 'home to mama' to fix your mistake ... when it's clear to everyone that we never made one."

She stretched high enough to kiss me full on the mouth. "We didn't, but we sure as heck made two incredible little boys, and are hopefully influencing Julie in a good way."

"According to her, we are. She's excited to be able to be here for Matty's birthday weekend."

"She'll have everyone she loves all in one place for a few days. Plus cake," she couldn't resist pointing out. "It's a win/win for everyone."

"You and Matty definitely think so."

"We do."

We grinned simultaneously as we heard the sound of an attempted escape. Matthew's crib became an actual bed when Steph feared for his life - or at least his arm - when she caught him trying to rappel down the side of the crib for the second time. Our son graduated to a 'big boy' bed, but he's yet to catch onto the fact that I trained Pup-Pup, who isn't puppy-like anymore, to make a specific high-pitched whine to alert us whenever Matty is on the move.

Not only is our dog an important member of our family, he's become an essential member of _my_ team when it comes to keeping those we love safe. He can retrieve a stick less competently than he can locate Matty at any given time. I'd never leave my children's safety in anyone else's hands, but I feel confident that if Pup-Pup is around ... Matty, Julie, and now Ty, will be protected.

Steph gave me a squeeze around the middle and then let me go to take my hand as we left our room and entered Matty's.

"And where exactly does the birthday boy think he's sneaking off to?" She asked our son.

Matthew froze at the sound of her voice, thinking that we wouldn't see him if he wasn't moving. That lasted all of three seconds. Even in sleep he has trouble keeping still. He looked down at his furry-friend, who moonlights as an undercover room-guard and Matty-watcher. Pup-Pup tipped his head to the side and patiently waited to see how this played out.

" _Mama herded us_ ," Matty said solemnly to his dog, like he just realized that his mother will always be onto them.

"Yep, you are right ... I heard you both. And I'm about to 'herd' the two of you out of this room, hopefully into the bathroom, and then on into the kitchen for some birthday breakfast."

" _Iz mize birffday!_ "

"It is," I told him. "How does it feel to be two-years-old now?"

" _Iz weally big,_ " he said, despite the fact that his head is tilted all the way back just so he could look me in the eyes.

"Don't remind me," Steph said. "I'd swear it was yesterday that I freaked all of your Uncles out when I felt you move for the first time, back when you were where Ty is now."

" _Will Tyze beezs dare for my pawdy?_ "

"I'm afraid not, my little Matty-Man. He's supposed to join us in July. Do you know how many months away that is? We're in April, so that means ...?"

" _Mayz, Dune, an Uly,_ " he said, counting out the three months on the thumb and index finger on his right hand and the index finger on his left.

"Very good, Matty," I encouraged, picking him up and holding him close. "You got all three right."

Despite his 'advanced age' and increasing ability to do more things on his own without any help from us, he will still wrap his little arms around us and squeeze with all of his might whenever we hug or hold him. That's one thing I hope he never grows out of. I _do_ have reason to hope since Julie doesn't shy away from any type of affection, though I have years to make up for with her … that I remain grateful she's allowed me to try. I've made plenty of mistakes over the course of my life, but I've learned from every one of them, so with Matty I tried to be what he needed from the moment I found out he was on the way so I wouldn't have regret mixed into all the other emotions I have regarding him.

"And since we have a couple more months before we meet your baby brother," Steph was saying to Matthew, "do you know what we get to do?"

" _Whatz?_ " He asked, genuinely curious even as he laughed at how Pup-Pup's jumping up to try to get eye-level with him again.

"We get to completely celebrate having the best little boy in the whole entire universe as our son, not only today, but everyday. Daddy and I love you _soooo_ much. We couldn't have a better little person to share our life with."

Matty puffed up with pride at hearing how his Mama feels about him. Hers isn't idle praise. Matthew knows he's loved, not only because he's our baby, but also for the individual person he has become all on his own. He's sweet, funny, observant, and he loves everybody who loves him. Steph and I have used the word 'parent' like the verb it should be, and we've done well in guiding him, but I honestly believe we were given a child who could - and will continue to - teach us as much as we're supposed to teach him. What Steph said about me, I echo when it comes to our children. If she and I had filled out a form, we couldn't have received more perfect children for us. It's going to be interesting to see how Ty adds to and changes the dynamic we have going.

Julie, my men, and my family, are excited. Matthew is too, but as brave as Steph and I appear, we're still as apprehensive as we were when we first found out about having Matty. Logically, we know we're good parents, and we love our children unconditionally and without limits, but it's still terrifying to really sit in the thought that the two of us are raising three people who will likely be someone's wife, mother, husband, or father, one day. If we fuck up, they could too somewhere down the line and start a multi-generational chain reaction in the form of a psychological train wreck. The Morelli family is the first to come to mind on what to avoid at all costs.

I've had many important missions in my life, but raising my children the right way has been the most daunting. If we fail, there's no one to blame for it ... no one we _would_ blame outside of ourselves. Helen and Joe may have PhDs in reworking history and reality, and finding scapegoats to pin their problems on, but Steph and I know the buck and fuck-ups stop with us ... so we're determined to avoid as many as we can.

" _Wes got a pawdy_ ," Matty informed us.

"We do," Steph told him. "Not only a party, but one that lasts all weekend long. It's going to be the mother of all sleepovers."

"This is the first time I've ever heard you sound excited about camping, Babe," I teased.

"This isn't _camping_ /camping like you and the guys find fun. This is pitching tents on our little beach in Ocean City and using our house there to take care of essentials. We'll have a bathroom and a shower, along with a snack-filled pantry, microwave, and a coffee maker. Mary Lou and I have a bet going for how many Merry Men we'll be able to fit in or on the property. Matty's ' _Remember My Birthday_ ' guest book is going to double as a RangeUncle tally sheet. "

"We know how to survive in tight quarters. None of his RangeUncles will miss Matty's birthday, so expect all of them. And they'll choose to stay from beginning to end."

"Which means contract workers have been scheduled weeks ago and have now been called in."

"Happy times call for cleared schedule-measures."

"I wish _certain_ people had the same devotion we have towards our little man."

Matty circled an arm around my neck and sat up straighter in my arms. " _Mama, yourz ezes ard leakin._ "

"No," she said automatically. "Mama is the happiest one you'll ever meet. My eyes just needed a quick rinse. Darn hormones. They're good now. See?"

She batted her blue eyes at both of us, and I hurt for her as much as I felt myself becoming pissed off again. I'd pieced together the entire conversation just from hearing my wife's side of it. Stephanie, not wanting to be accused of standing between Matty and her family if they genuinely care about him and care about seeing him, cautiously invited the Plums to join us for the weekend ... just like she had done for everyone. Frank was open for an hour-long party, even an hour away, but didn't much care for an extended Friday-Sunday event … was even less excited about sleeping on an air mattress on the ground with his bad back, according to Helen anyway.

Steph knows my father had to have actual surgery on his back five years ago. And she's heard all the stories of the good run he gave his physical therapist following it, and Papa Manoso refused our offer of a bedroom inside the house like my grandparents accepted, choosing more time with his grandchildren over any discomfort he could experience. Helen damaged her relationship with her daughter even further by asking why we aren't thinking about the baby's safety and just giving Matthew a 'normal' birthday party indoors at her house.

I told Stephanie to hang up, which she was already in the process of doing after an abrupt ' _Come if you want_ , _but don't expect us to miss you if you don't_.' And we stood by that. If they showed up, we wouldn't exactly turn them away, but they will be carefully watched. Though it won't be by us. We have more important people to give our attention to ... like our son and those who are excited to celebrate his second birthday with him - and us - however they get to.

"We should feed Pup-Pup so he'll stop trying to get me to carry him like Daddy's holding you," Steph told our baby, while hugging our furry beast, "and then we need to get you fed and dressed so we can get your weekend started."

" _Wez goesn campin'._ "

"We are. Yesterday, I saw GodUncleTank inspecting his tent and everything. The only thing that your Uncles think could top a pain-inducing obstacle course like we'd had set up for your party last year, is exposing themselves to the elements by choice."

" _Jubie bes dare?_ "

"She wouldn't miss it. Daddy is going to go down and get her as soon as we're settled in our beach place. He's taking the super-fast plane just so they won't miss you too much."

" _Zshoooom_ ," he replied, sticking his arms straight out at his sides in proper flight formation.

I can't resist that kind of encouragement, so I shifted him in my arms and 'flew' him into the bathroom with Pup-Pup lighting out after us creating a carpeted-tarmac hazard. I skillfully piloted 'my crew' to the predetermined location, and after another successful endeavor that involved 'the big potty', and a following handwash using his foaming froggie soap, my son and I shared a high five over him having another entirely dry pull-up in the morning.

"How'd we do?" Steph asked us, when we met her in the bedroom.

" _I uzed my step_ ," our son proudly stated.

"Way to go, Matty!" She told him, holding her hand up for a second high five. "We're going to kick potty training's butt in no time at all."

He did his interpretation of a karate kick complete with _a 'Kiai!'_ sound. Steph grabbed my hand while she put her other one on her stomach. Even without words I know exactly what she's feeling. Sometimes how much Matthew means to us literally knocks the air out of our lungs.

"Pup-Pup, high five" she said to our dog.

He sat down and lifted his right front paw up for Matty to tap.

"Team Manoso 3/Pull-ups 0," I added, knowing the three of us are all keeping score.

"NEVER bet against the home team," Steph said. "Talk about a full-circle moment. I used to be a lingerie buyer, and now I'm going to have to start buying cartoony big boy underwear, since we won't be needing pull-ups much longer. Now, little man, let's get your tank filled and changed so we can hit the beach after we wake GodUncleTank, and Uncles Bobby and Lester, up."

"You're too late on waking Tank. He's been up since four, Babe," I said, just to see her cringe in horror.

"Four is how many pieces of pizza you should eat, not a time of the day to drag yourself out of bed. I don't mind mornings now, because I have you three guys and one on the way, to spend that time with, but I still prefer not getting up until the sun decides to."

"Only a few years ago, I would've been at the gym long before Tank opened his eyes," I admitted, looking at my wife first and then to Matty and Pup-Pup. "But now I understand the draw of a later morning."

"I knew I'd convert you," Steph said, bumping her shoulder into mine.

"More like _tempt_ me."

"Stop. We have a full weekend ahead of us, I can't be distracted now."

"I believe there will be plenty of opportunities to distract you, but I'll behave myself for now."

"Good, because you know I can't resist you," she said with a kiss. "Okay, Matty-Man, what would you like for your special _'I'm A Big Boy Today_ ' breakfast?"

" _Stegozauwos_."

"Alright. Daddy can get started on the pancake dino-body and sausage legs. And I'll handle the banana tail and strawberry-slice backplates. Your dinosaur will avoid extinction if I stay far away from him and the stove."

Once the five of us got breakfast made and consumed, Steph helped Matty pick his clothes ... a train long-sleeve T-shirt that had the words _'Choo Choo, I'm two_ ' coming out of its smokestack, paired with dark-washed toddler jeans, and black, green, and orange, sneakers. A brushing of our toddler's teeth and a kiss from each of us ... and then we and the dog hit the ground running.

"We'll be fine," Steph assured me an hour later, when I was reluctant to leave them.

I've always felt torn ... starting as a stupid kid wanting to be a badass by doing bad things, yet still wanting my parents to be proud of me. When I enlisted, I wanted to serve my country, though I felt I'd left things unfinished and my family unprotected at home. So when I was in Newark, I thought I should be fighting overseas. And when I was gone, I longed for home. Now I'm home for the most part, but I hate leaving Stephanie and Matthew, yet I need to be the one picking my daughter up. No matter the choice, I feel I'm missing out on something that I'll never get back.

"Tank, Bobby, and Lester, told me I can boss them around as much as I want in order to get things set up while you're gone. And with all the guys who'll be showing up when they can, they'll help keep Matty amused," Steph continued, being the only one to ever see my struggle. "You need to go snag Julie so she can get a piece of this. I promise, you won't miss much, but you will be adding a lot to the day by bringing Matty's big Sis home to us."

"Do you want me to do anything before I leave?"

"Yes. Kiss me, hug and kiss your son, and then make Julie's trip back here a memorable one for her. The boys - big, little, and unborn - and I will be counting the minutes until the two of you get back."

I kissed her before pulling Matthew away from his Uncles to say a temporary goodbye.

"I'm going to go pick up Julie ... is there anything you'd like me to say or do for you?" I asked him.

He put two kisses into his hand and blew them out as if his sister is already right here in front of him. He also threw himself into my arms for a hug so forceful, I know it's meant for me as well as one to carry over multiple states to give to Julie.

Julie was just as enthusiastic after I touched down in Miami and drove to the Martine home.

"Is Matty as excited as Steph is?" She asked, as we got buckled in.

"It's hard to believe, she might be even happier than your brother. She loves parties like this one and is fully able to appreciate every moment she gets with our family."

"She did seem pretty happy when I talked to her last night."

"She was happy because she was talking to _you_. Having you for a three-day weekend is a major part of her good mood," I told her. "She sees you as _hers_ as much as Matty, Ty, and I, are. And she'll tell you herself, she feels less outnumbered when you're with us."

"Relax, RangeDad. I know Steph loves me. She was going to save 'your daughter' before she ever even met me. I don't doubt that she'd do even more than trade her life for mine now that she's more to me than just my dad's ' _friend_ '."

"I'm glad you recognize someone willing to go above and beyond for you."

"I know you … anyone you let me meet has to be special."

"Stephanie is that, but she loves _you_ , not because you're my daughter or Matthew and Ty's sister. YOU are her idea of a 'dream daughter'. She's even said you're a good role model for all of us. She's glad we're having boys so you remain undefeated in your 'perfect daughter' role."

"Uh-huh," she said, not buying it.

"Really," I told her, teasing but also serious. "She was worried at the sonogram appointment that we'd see that if we were having a little girl, there could be some competition for the best one. You've set an impossibly-hard to surpass bar."

Although she gets that I'm exaggerating for effect … Steph and I would love and be thankful for any child we have, the smile tugging at her mouth let me know she's glad she set such a high precedent no matter who we created after Matty.

"I know you're kidding, but thank you. You know ... a little sister/little Steph _would_ be really fun. Maybe you guys should try for a little sister next," she teased me back.

I cut my eyes to her and the sound of her laugh ricocheted around my head the entire way back to Jersey.

Our Ocean City beach looked like a tent-version of Normandy when Julie and I got to it from the private airstrip I use in 'emergency' situations. I noticed that some of my men didn't even waste time with a tent. They just shook out a bed roll and called it a weekend. I would be content with just sand under my back, but I'm not making my pregnant wife, teen daughter, and two-year-old son, sleep the way I've had to. I set up a nine-person tent, which should be large enough for Steph, Matty, Pup-Pup, and I.

My parents called dibs on Julie, but Stephanie put up a big enough fight to keep her ... our daughter felt equally wanted by both tents, which are side by side with my siblings and Tank surrounding the immediate area around us. I appreciated what I'd been born into even more when Steph had cautiously brought up our idea for Matty's party two months ago. Not surprising, she was bracing to have to sell the idea to the entire Manoso clan, but Steph started small with just broaching the subject with my parents when they came over for dinner one night.

Instead of the reaction Steph was anticipating, my parents just smiled and my mother had immediately turned to my father, who at the time was letting Matty pretend his grandfather's a horse, bad back be damned, and said ..." _Now we have a reason to visit that new outdoor store that just opened down the street from us. We can stop in on our way home._ " There were no complaints about sleeping outside, not a single concern about the weather or how we're not taking care of our unborn baby by daring to sleep on a portable bed, and there wasn't a single thought of suggesting alternative party ideas. No, my parents were happy to be asked to attend, agreed that their Mateo would love it, and offered to help in whatever way we needed.

As Steph prepped our tent for impending-habitation, she paused to glance around at our private beach. Not only is it littered with temporary dwellings, each tent pole has a white balloon secured to it in addition to the blue, white, green, and yellow, balloons that are tied every foot along the inside of the fence surrounding our property. Matty likely had Christmas still on his mind and he wanted to decorate our current sleeping space for the big day, and everyone around us added balloons to their tents after seeing how happy our single balloon made him.

Fortified with cups of coffee, cherry almond coffee cake, and a folder at the ready, Stephanie, Ella, and my mother, pored over pictures of Matty's first two years so they could have a few blown up to hang below the balloons on the fence so his entire life to date can be celebrated right along with his actual birthday.

My wife kept up the tradition she wanted us to start, and for the second year she and I sat down together at the kitchen table after Matty was asleep the evening before his birthday, and we wrote him a letter full of the milestones he hit over the last year, and adding in all of our favorite moments that we've had with him since his last birthday. Life isn't predictable or guaranteed, but at least Stephanie and I know Matthew will always have a piece of us, and have written in our own writing and words exactly how much we love him, with these letters he'll eventually be given.

Steph's idea had me realizing that no matter how much time has passed, there is no statute of limitations on telling someone how much they mean to you. Julie's reaction when we penned one for her and had given it to her on her birthday, had me appreciating my wife's unique approach to everything in a whole different way. I was convinced Julie's at the age where she's ready to start distancing herself from her parents, and wouldn't really want to hear us go on about how remarkable we find her and how much we love being in her life. But she was obviously moved by the gesture ... and that she was a recipient of something like that from two people who still struggle at times with outward displays of affection.

I already know this party of Matthew's will be featured in Ty's first letter so he'll always feel like he was part of it.

"I can honestly say, I've never felt so safe than I do right now," my wife shared. "If someone chose to invade this section of Jersey ... they wouldn't last a second with all of our Rangeguys lying, standing, and playing, while unconsciously still on guard duty."

"I put my money on my men every time."

"That's not saying much if you're a guy who doesn't believe in betting. I know he was really little at the time, so hopefully Matty won't ever remember the body we found here."

"The body _you_ found, you mean. Matthew _was_ young, though he'd probably recall the disturbance in his force at how panicked _you_ were at the time. You did hold it together impressively well after we realized it was _a body_ and not an injured person in need of a rescue. I'm glad my team was able to help close that case with nothing more being needed from you."

"Calm isn't how I would've described myself at any point that day, but I didn't want to freak our kids out more than I already did. Matty did get used to my regularly being freaked out soon enough, and has been surprisingly understanding when our plans change when one, or both, of us gets a funny feeling. I don't want Julie to have any bad memories either, but she doesn't seem to."

"She's spoken with every child expert I could find after Scrog so she'd have the best shot at recovering from what he put her through. She's more stable than any of us, but she promised her mother and I that she will immediately tell us if she or her feelings on the subject change."

"I wouldn't agree that anyone's more stable than _you_ , but it's definitely true about me. I had no worries about her keeping Matty safe when I took a dive hoping to save someone."

"She's more responsible than she should ever have needed to be."

Steph took both of my hands in hers and wouldn't look away from me. "You've done everything in your power to keep Julie safe from the moment you found out about her, Ranger. Even Rachel will agree with that. Your little girl had bodyguards, Miami Rangeguys driving by her house just to check if she needed something, and you had her attached to every security device known to mankind. You did everything you could to protect her, including taking a few bullets for her _and_ me. You hear people say all the time that they'd die for their kids, but you really were going to if that's what it took. Stop ..."

She had seen my mouth open, ready to refute her praise.

"I get it, you're trained to sacrifice yourself for others, but that was an extremely _personal_ job. Your daughter and the woman you pledged your allegiance to being held captive by a psychopath, and you walking into that trap knowing it could be the end of you, as well as us, isn't just a typical day at the office, even if your 'office' is usually a jungle, desert, or terrorist stronghold. _DO NOT_ blame yourself for what that monster did. That nightmare was all on Scrog. Instead of brushing off our admiration at you being our hero that day, and continuing to beat yourself up for what was beyond your control, be proud of how your daughter fought like hell to save you and then turn around and immediately put up another fight just to stay _with you_. You were incredible that day and so was she."

"I _am_ extremely proud of her."

"I know you are. So how about every time you get ready to chew yourself out again for what happened, you just call up Julie and tell her how proud of her you are ... and how much you love her? I guarantee that will make you both instantly feel better, and bring you two even closer ... _if_ that's possible."

"You're always looking out for someone," I said, pausing to kiss her.

"Not really ... just you, our kids, and the other people we love. Should we let them all tire themselves out before the party actually starts by running around on the beach like they're doing? Or rein them in and go for quieter play for a little bit?"

We turned to watch our 'guests' and she leaned into me as my hands acted on autopilot and flattened against her now rounded stomach. I had been anticipating Matthew's birth with an excitement I hadn't felt since meeting his mother. Ty's birth will be an even bigger moment in my life because I get to see Matty's reaction to having a little brother … and then witness firsthand how he takes on the role of 'Big Brother'.

It sounds cliche, but seeing things through a child's eyes does give you a different perspective on almost everything. I agree with what Stephanie had said as we left the doctor's office for this pregnancy confirmation, which was a far different experience than Steph and I finding out separately about Matthew. As we were walking to the car from the medical building, Steph captured what we were both thinking when she pointed out that we're almost as excited about Matty's reaction to Ty as we are ourselves for having him.

When Junior put Matty back on his sneakers in the sand, and Julie accepted the fact that Pup-Pup won't be fetching anything more out of the water, we called the crew over.

"Do you remember what Bibi gave us to sprinkle when we got here today?" Steph asked Matty, when he weaved his way around our beach village and his tree-sized Uncles and made it over to us.

" _Zeeds_ ," he answered, without even needing to think about it.

"You planting a garden?" Santos asked, clearly not picturing Stephanie as the gardening type.

"Not exactly," Julie told him. "Grandma struck again."

"How so?" Bobby wanted to know.

"Hold on," Steph replied. "I'll go grab them. They're in my bag. Anyone up for a race?"

Cal picked up Matty. "Just say when."

"Hey! I can barely outrun _Matty's_ legs, there is no way in heck I stand a chance against _yours_."

He barely suppressed a grin. "We'll give you a headstart."

"Yeah, right. If you're going to cheat, I am too." She linked fingers with Julie. "Come on, Jules. I'll need you to pull me and Ty up the porch stairs."

My daughter turned to look at me. " _Dad?_ "

I didn't need to be asked twice. I curled my arms around and under Stephanie and tucked her to my chest.

"No headstart is needed," I told Cal.

He nodded a concession before the race even began.

"Ready ... set ... _GO!_ " Julie yelled.

It's not surprising how quickly my family and my men dropped everything to 'encourage' their team ... or ruthlessly taunt the opposing one. It was no contest. I've held far more than an almost 28-weeks-pregnant Stephanie with only one arm. With two arms, my only concern was running carefully so I wouldn't jostle her or our baby. I did purposely pace myself so Matty would come in only a sneakers-length behind us.

"That was fun," Steph told me. "Can I get a lift back?"

"Anytime."

"I'm kidding. I wouldn't put you through that again. I can barely maneuver Ty and I, I wouldn't make you do it again unless a broken ankle is involved."

"Steph, I've had training exercises that were more challenging than running holding you."

"Thanks for saying so … you know how being compared to war-prep gets me feeling all warm and tingly inside."

Her playful mood got a full hundred-watt smile out of me.

"I'll be right back. Okay, _Matty and I_ will be back in a sec," she corrected, when Cal had put Matthew down on the porch next to us and he slid his little hand into his Mama's.

After they made a quick dash into the house, we rejoined our group and Matty held up the 'seeds' my mother had given him when my parents stopped at Rangeman on their way back from here to Newark ... a trip they've made numerous times this past week just to take some work, stress, and pressure, away from Stephanie.

" _Cheerios?_ " Santos said, eyeing the plastic bag in her hands.

" _NO_. _These_ are special ' _Doughnut Seeds_ '. If we plant them we might grow an entire dozen."

"More than likely, you'll just be growing a fat squirrel," I unwisely said.

My wife nudged me. "You never know, anything's possible around here with your family."

"Yeah, Dad. I grew up and learned that Santa's reindeer really didn't need me to feed them for Christmas, but I can still remember how happy and excited I felt sprinkling reindeer feed with Grandma. It's one of my favorite holiday memories."

" _See?_ " Steph added. "So we need to pick a real good place for our beach doughnuts to grow so Matty will remember to check them and then remember them even years from now when he's _super_ -big."

"I suggest close to the house then so Matty gets the doughnuts before anything else does," I told her.

"Was that dig directed at me?" Santos asked me.

"No, but if the cruller fits ..."

"Wow," my wife said, smiling up at me, "I'm shocked that you know what a cruller is ... or more importantly ... that it rolled off your tongue so easily."

I gave her a look that reminded her what else can roll easily off my tongue.

"Stop it," she ordered.

I know she doesn't mean it because she caught my jaw in one hand and gently squeezed so my lips stuck out enough to plant a pretty good kiss on.

" _Kizzy faze. Kizzzzzy fazzzze_ ," Matthew teased, putting his hands on his knees as he was rocked forward with the force of his amusement.

Clearly he's taking after his mother more and more the older he gets. When he started making smacking noises with his lips, Julie knelt down so her little brother could climb onto her back.

"Hop on, Matty," she instructed. "I have a feeling you're going to be 'kissy-faced' next."

He plopped himself on her back and she took the steps carefully but quickly. They didn't go far. They stopped at a section of sandy ground by the fence under the picture of her holding her baby brother for the first time.

"This feels like a lucky spot," Julie told us, when we'd walked over to them.

"It does," Steph said, giving both of our kids an obnoxiously-loud kiss on each of their cheeks in retaliation for them running away. "You didn't think you'd get away unscathed, did you? You can run, but you can't hide."

Matty showed all of his teeth when he laughed at the teasing contact. Julie grinned, but she had a point to make.

"We weren't exactly _hiding_ , Steph. We only moved twenty-feet away from you and Dad."

"Stop being so smart and start digging."

"You're really going to plant them?" Tank asked.

"Yup. That's what you do if you want to harvest a doughnut crop. Okay, Julie, Matty, grab a shovel and pass me one."

"Tank can take your shovel, Babe. If you bend down there, you'll need me to get you back up."

"I can get myself upright, though you're right. Why put myself through that? GodUncleTank, you're up. Unless you want to delegate and make someone else be Farmer Fred."

He took the little kid's shovel from her and did his best not to snap it. He went through a blue and then a red one before he figured out that he should hold the toy with just the tips of three fingers instead of subjecting the defenseless plastic shovel to his entire catcher's mitt-sized hand. That's the scene I'm staring at ... Tank, Julie, and Matthew, rearranging the soil in order to plant Cheerios in hopes of producing doughnuts. This is real, but it reads like total fiction.

"Now ... isn't this a sight," my mother said, coming around the side of the house with my father, Celia, and Diego, in tow.

"A sight only people who know my family would ever understand," I told her, kissing her cheek and exchanging hugs with the rest of my family.

"Good. I've always strived to be unique."

"Me, too," Steph said, as Matty and Julie paused in their activity to run over to their grandparents.

"How's our birthday boy?" My father asked Matty.

" _Iz two!_ " He said, sticking two fingers high in the air.

"As we can see from that birthday shirt you're wearing," my father told him, smiling at how big Matthew is smiling.

"You do know that the only way to grow your doughnuts properly is to say out loud which ones you hope to see in your bakery garden," my mother encouraged. "What do you hope to get, my Mateo?"

It should be a sad day for me when my own son can list his favorite bakery items, but I couldn't help but smile as he really weighed his Bibi's question to make sure he didn't waste a choice on a less worthy doughnut.

" _Spingles, yellys, mooshy middles_ , _and boo bewwy_."

"Do you need me to translate?" Steph asked us.

"Please," my mother answered. "I understood everything except the 'mooshy middle' one."

"Those are Boston Creams. If you break them open, or take a _really_ big bite out of them like Matty and I do, you see that the middle is all 'mooshy' since it's filled with cream."

"I should have guessed that. You are so right, Mateo. Mooshy middles make a lot of sense."

" _Nothing_ about doughnut production or consumption makes sense," I felt the need to point out, being the sole voice of reason in this particular crowd.

"Oh, Carlos, a treat every once in awhile won't kill anybody. Our bodies aren't built for surviving war like yours has had to be."

"Trans-fat has nothing to do with war, Mama."

She gently tapped my cheek and gave me an indulgent smile. "I know. But remember ... one doughnut isn't likely going to harm or outright kill anyone. You know that saying ... everything in moderation, including moderation."

"A doughnut may not kill you, but the craving for one _could_ ," Steph added. "There were times my cousin Vinnie almost didn't make it out of his office alive when a craving hit Lula or I."

"It's all settled then. Let's sprinkle the seeds and see what happens tomorrow morning. We do have a party to get going. I can't believe I've had two years with my sweet grandson already!"

"We're lucky, that's for sure ... having Julie and then Matty, and now Ty," my wife said, combing Matty's hair with her fingers as he picked up the doughnut seeds.

" _Iz spingle_ ," he told us.

"Go ahead and sprinkle wherever you'd like," I encouraged. "We'll see how long it takes to produce some non-produce."

I had a Proud Papa moment when Julie took his hand and they shook out and then buried the Cheerios together. If I can, I will be beating my parents to the nearest doughnut shop at first light, getting Matty's seed-hopefuls and Julie's favorite French Toast doughnuts, to make their first family garden attempt a complete success.

When that task was completed, we got started on covering up all the tables that had been set up while I flew to Miami and back by putting out the party food. We gave Matty, Julie, and my parents, the option to head inside and just hang out and relax together, but they all wanted to stay outside with us to help out. Well ... Matthew wanted to play with everyone more than set cups on a table, or hand his Mama a stack of decorated paper plates, but we appreciated his presence and his clapping every time the beach appeared more and more like the scene of his party.

To keep bottles of water and cans of soda cold, when my parents were here yesterday to get a jump on today's party prep, my mother utilized the chest freezer we have for the garage and froze balloons filled with tinted water to act as ice for the large stainless steel buckets that now contain the bottled and canned beverages.

Entertainment will be provided by my men and Matty himself, with a take no prisoners water balloon fight scheduled for when everyone will least expect it ... Steph's brainchild. Unseasonably warm temps are bad for the environment but come in real handy for events planned for children. My father, brother, and Woody - with Steph and Celia providing the filling - rigged up two palm trees made out of tied-together balloons that our kids and men can have fun popping and seeing what toy or reward comes out of each one.

In the same vein, a huge number two was also constructed out of balloons, stuffed with special little gifts just for Matty. My father also brought along his and Matthew's fishing poles, outdoor bowling set, and magnetic dart board ... that even Lester should be able to safely use, that will provide play for everyone throughout the weekend. As Steph has said, this isn't so much a 'party' as three days of non-stop family fun.

Hector put his old hot-wiring skills to innocent use by rigging up a homemade drink dispensing system similar to those in fast food restaurants so party guests can have their choice of mineral water, lemonade, or ice tea, if they'd like something different than what's melting the balloon-ice.

"I'm glad I'm pregnant," Steph whispered to me, as the food overtook the outdoor furniture, "because if I gain weight from this party, I can blame Ty."

"If you do, it'll be the first time you blame our kids for anything."

She smiled up at me. "What can I say, our kids are pretty perfect. They don't do much wrong. We haven't met him, but judging from that 4D sonogram picture we just got - and had to get numerous copies made of - Ty's clearly an angel already. Call me delusional, but I think we won't have to go through what our parents had to with us."

"It'll be harder for our kids when a bodyguard or three can be assigned to them at anytime for any length of time. And you're predicting Ty's angel-like persona based on him looking like Matthew did at birth ... only with his face being more compressed at the moment."

"Exactly," she said, pressing Ty against m stomach so she could kiss me. "The Manoso genes are going to strike again."

"But the Plum genes are peeking through Matty today," Julie said from behind us, holding her little brother in her arms. "He spotted the cake in the kitchen when Grandma and Ella were putting the candles in, and he decided that if they were sticking things into it, he could too. So one of the trees now has a new Matty-branch pulled out of the frosting where he dragged his finger through it."

"How did the tree taste?" I asked him.

" _Yumzy!"_

"And do you like your cake?" Steph asked.

 _"Itz sooo big!_ "

"I know. I think Bibi and Grandmella made it bigger than even you are."

"Grandma thought we should let Matty show off his cake to everyone, even if we aren't eating it right now, before ' _someone_ ' decides to offer Pup-Pup a taste of it next."

"You, Daddy, and Ty, are lucky," Steph said to our son, filling his arms and lifting him out of Julie's, "you guys are totally surrounded by smart and talented women like your sister, Bibi, and Grandmella, though you should probably give Ty some props for becoming a comfy seat for his big brother."

" _Tyze's hidin' in dare_ ," he said, reaching down to gently tap Steph's stomach.

"He is, for just a little while longer."

She adjusted him, but held him tighter when I raised an eyebrow that asked if I should take him. She has to be in serious pain, or in a seriously bad mood because of something horrible someone else has done, to give up the hugging-hold he has on her.

We watched the cake procession come out of the house and move down to the beach. My mother and Ella had set the cake layers on four individual tiers made from slices of food-safe hardwood that decreased in size as the bottom forest, road, then river, layers eventually led to an iced-graham cracker tent on the top grassy tier that was proudly waving a ' _Camp Matty_ ' flag. The forest portion contained icing covered sugar cone trees and a molded fondant wolf and bear. The road was 'paved' with graham cracker crumbs and had a replica of the RangeRover Matty patrols the halls of Rangeman in. Blue rock candy created a river he could fish in if the miniature version of himself wanted to leave his tent and Pup-Pup on the top tier.

" _Iz on my cake!_ " Matthew proudly told his RangeUncles.

"How are we going to pop some balloons if you're sitting there on your cake?" Tank asked him.

That question perplexed our son, but he caught on soon enough with a laugh at his GodUncleTank's expense. He set his little hands on his hips and walked around Tank until he was standing right in front of him, the toes of his sneakers touching the steel toes in Tank's boots.

" _Iz wight hewr!_ "

"So you are. Your parents say there are prizes in those balloon-trees, wanna find out if they're trying to trick us before we crack open that cake of yours?"

" _Pop. Pop,_ " Matty said in agreement.

Pup-Pup thought he was being called, so he abandoned a full belly rub being administered by Diego to trot after Matthew, Julie, Tank, Lester, and Bobby, while Steph and I circled the crowd and checked for anything that needed passing out, refilling, or our help with, since Woody, Junior, and Ram, decided our kids were being 'neglected' by us not having a tree swing for them on the property. Being men of action, they decided to remedy that while they're all here.

When they finished the two-seater, wood-plank swing ... and Matty and Julie and then my parents tried it out ... I picked Matthew up after Steph lit his birthday candles, knowing this process will take more time and effort since we're outside. His Bibi and Grandmella not being satisfied with only the single number 2 candle, felt compelled to add some to each layer. I helped my son extinguish every one of them.

"What are you doing?" Steph asked Bobby, when Matty had gotten completely over the balloon-popping and refocused on his cake, and we began cake destruction and distribution.

Brown had quickly swiped the candles that had been put on a plate beside the cake before it was cut into.

He's currently in the process of licking the frosting off them. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Licking frosting off of wax. You know, you can have an actual piece of cake in a minute, which will have way more frosting on it."

"Steph, we used trick candles so they'd stay lit for longer than a few seconds outdoors," I explained. "They can be handy to have around if you ever get stranded. Matches blow out, these candles don't without some help."

"Okay ... that makes a bit more sense," she said, and then she looked back at Brown. "Are you planning on getting stranded on your way from the table to your bedroll? Or possibly losing your way back to Trenton from here as you sit in the middle of a Rangeguy caravan?"

"You never know," he replied, cleaning the last of them before wrapping the candles in a campfire-themed print napkin taken from a tray labeled 'Camping Gear'.

Of course, this particular camping gear are grouped-together plastic utensils to aid in the devouring of the party food. Half of which already has a substantial dent in it, and Steph only had what I brought her to eat. She's having too much fun 'chaperoning' our guys as they created bowling leagues for some 'friendly' rivalry, which had her less interested in food than in enjoying our family and the partying going on. Everyone wanted Matty and Julie on their teams and weren't above trash talking or outright bribery to get one or both to choose them.

After an afternoon of literal fun and games, when the sun began to set, Matty's Uncles and I set up the firework display a buddy of mine created for my son's special day. These are specially made to be all show and no bang, though I've made my peace with the standard type of fireworks. If I hadn't been triggered by a stray bottle rocket more than two years ago, Steph wouldn't have felt like she needed to comfort me the quickest way she knew ... and we wouldn't have made Matty that day.

Fast forward to now ... yellow, red, green, and white, explosions lit the sky with little-to-no sound beyond Matty and my mother's awed gasps, claps, and excited comments. With Matthew sitting on my shoulders and gripping my temples with two hands, and my wife and daughter each standing with an arm around me, we watched the colors overtake the nighttime sky while I held tight to the little man who has given all of us so much to celebrate.


	2. Chapter 2

**I take full responsibility for any cavities caused by this chapter. All familiar characters and events belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine alone.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Stephanie's POV**

"What's the reason for that face you just made?" Ranger asked me.

" _Face?_ I didn't make a face. This is just what I was born with."

" _Stephanie_..." he warned, closing the refrigerator door he'd opened to get Matty's juice.

He slowly and very pointedly turned to stare at me.

"Better answer Dad, Steph," Julie advised. "I know _that look_."

Confronted with 'the look' his skips and employees are subjected to sometimes on an hourly basis, I did exactly what they all do ... I folded like a house of cards during a tornado.

"It's _possible_ that I may actually be in labor," I admitted, wanting to immediately snatch the words back because I know I've just changed our plans and how we spend the upcoming holiday that Ella, Marie, and I, have spent two weeks planning.

"You're in pain and didn't tell me?" He asked.

The crackling energy he was giving off suggested he isn't real pleased with not having sensed what my body is going through. He does read it better than I do, but I _did_ do my best to not be a baby about feeling a bit achy this morning. Turns out, it was the start of my body getting ready to have one instead.

"It was just a little twinge in my back this morning," I explained. "I thought I just slept wrong or picked up something I shouldn't have yesterday. If I felt at all uncomfortable, you would have insisted we stay home, and I wanted to get a jump on the July 4th prep work. Stupid me believed Ty would be like Matty and be ready a few days later than his arrive-by date, but I think he's telling me that I'm wrong."

Matty took a huge sip from the cup Ranger handed to him. " _Tyze gonna be heres soon_ ," our son stated, feeling grown up for knowing that information.

"Likely much sooner than you think," I told him, stepping around Pup-Pup so I could hug my baby. "The upside is that if Ty comes today or tomorrow, we should be out of the hospital and maybe still be able to come back here and celebrate the Fourth of July as we've planned to."

"We have more important things to think about right now than a party that can be rescheduled," I was told.

"You can't 'reschedule' a holiday that has its date in the name," I pointed out, trusting Julie to back me up. "You can't celebrate Cinco de Mayo in November. You cannot have a New Year's Day brunch in the middle of June. And you'd be called crazy for celebrating Christmas Eve in October. Fourth of July _has_ to happen on July _fourth._ Ty and I will just have to cooperate to make that happen."

"Or you could relax and just let nature do its thing, Babe."

"No."

"I had a feeling that'd be your answer."

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Calling Tank and then my parents. We're an hour away from our hospital. If you _are_ in labor ... we have distance, Julie and Matthew, and a dog, to factor into our immediate plans."

"It could take hours," I said, trying to sound reasonable, though I suddenly felt myself getting scared.

Not only of the pain I know is coming, but this could be it ... the beginning of our family going from one with five members - if you include Pup-Pup, which we do - to being a family of six. I've just started to feel like I'm a good mom ... the _perfect_ mom for Matthew, but what if I can't give both boys and Julie the attention they all deserve? It's something I've become more worried about the closer my due date got. But one thing I really like about myself is whenever I think I _can't_ do something, I fight like hell to prove myself wrong ... and actually end up doing whatever it is _even better_ than I'd originally hoped for.

"Those hours I want to be solely focused on you and what you need," Ranger was saying. "So _I_ need to make sure Matty and Julie are with my parents and Pup-Pup is either back at Rangeman or with our kids."

"Can we let Matty mess with Tank a little before we go into panic-mode?"

"No one is panicking. And _no_ ," he told me. With his cell in his hand, he hit the summon-Tank spot on the screen. "Stephanie feels that Ty is coming today. We're going to shoot to the hospital from here, and as you know ... we have the kids and Pup-Pup with us. I'm going to call my parents and have them pick up the kids, but you're closer to both us and the hospital than they are in Newark. You can beat their time to our location. I want all three under someone's watch as quickly as possible. Call Boe."

Given the lack of greeting and goodbye, I knew he was talking to Tank without his name even being mentioned. As he rang the Manoso Manor, I got Matty a pre-packed snack of homemade cheesy-carrot sticks out of the fridge, along with something Julie will actually eat, for the road since it appears we'll be on it soon.

"Hi, Mama," Ranger was saying, as I dropped a kiss on the top of Matty's head and rolled my eyes conspiratorially at Julie. "I'm calling to let you know that Stephanie appears to be in labor and to ask if you can meet us at the hospital to pick up Julie and Matty, and possibly Pup-Pup." He paused. "I know ... Stephanie was convinced this would be a July fifth or eighth birth, not the first day of the month. Okay, good. We'll see you there ..."

"Ummm," I interrupted his goodbye, not wanting to admit how badly I screwed up here.

"Tell me now, Stephanie," Ranger said, putting his Mom on a sorta-hold.

I didn't have to say anything, my water breaking after I bent in half with what felt like a very-real contraction, spoke volumes about the immediacy of the situation.

"I think Ty's going to be here before we make it to the hospital. It feels like he's already crawling to the finish line," I reported, when I could breathe again.

"Change in plans," he told Marie, "looks like Tyler will be born in Ocean City instead of at our preferred place. I'm hanging up now to call an ambulance."

"I thought we had time," I felt the need to repeat loud enough to be overheard.

"It's okay, Babe. No one was expecting Ty to be born today."

"Both Mary Lou and Valerie warned me that baby number two will be quicker, but I thought they meant an hour less of delivery room torture, not that labor would be a few hours total and four days sooner. Even when I read the same thing, I didn't really believe it."

"We'll get through it," he told me, before getting back to Mama Manoso. "If you could head this way after calling Tank to let him know why we aren't where we should be, and inform him the birth is happening here instead of closer to Trenton."

"It's not my fault," I said through gritted teeth.

I may have misjudged the timing, but the pain amount I got right.

"No one is at fault, Steph," Ranger told me as he put in a 911 call. "Unless a C-section is involved, birth isn't something we can control."

He relayed the 'emergency', but by that time ... I was no longer interested in anything except getting knocked completely out or getting my baby out of me. Ranger knew what he was doing and I let myself be led. I tried to keep an eye on Matty and Julie, who had been quiet and were staring at us with wide eyes as they waited to see how this played out. While I kept them in my periphery, I listened to what Ranger and the dispatcher were saying, and also attempting to remember how to breathe as I did what he instructed.

"I really want to cut to the pushing part," I told Ranger. "Is that normal? Isn't it way too soon for that?"

"I would say yes, considering the paramedics aren't here yet. Do you honestly feel that you can't hold on for the five minutes it'll take for reinforcements to arrive?"

Even if I could, my moving towards the couch was answer enough.

"Julie, can you keep Matty busy upstairs so he doesn't get scared by what's about to happen?" Ranger asked her.

"Is Steph going to be okay?"

"Yes," he answered, as if he alone decides today's outcome. "I'll call you when something changes or your Uncle Tank or the ambulance gets here."

"Okay. I'll do what I can. Matty, I'll race you to your room. Last one has to put your toys away."

He took the bait, being familiar with cleaning up his toys after playing, so he and Pup-Pup were about to take off, but he paused to look back at me.

" _Mama's gots an owie_?"

"Not exactly an owie. Your baby brother is just ready to meet you guys today," I tried to explain without freaking him out.

He spun towards his sister and Pup-Pup barely able to contain himself. " _Tyze gonna seez us!_ "

"He is," his Dad told him, "but we don't know how long it will take. If you can be a big boy and watch over Julie, it'll help Mama and I a lot."

Ranger and I both caught Julie's eyeroll at ' _having to be watched_ ', so I added ... "And Jules, if you could keep your brother busy while we figure this out, your Dad and I will be forever grateful."

"Just take care of Ty and yourself. Matty, Pup-Pup, and I, will be fine."

"You are the best!" I told her, holding her eyes. "I mean that. Between you and your Dad, I know I have nothing to worry about."

She picked up her little brother and looked at me over his head. "Just be okay. _Okay?_ "

I tried to hide the pain, but wasn't totally successful. "I will. I want you, Matty, and Ty, too much not to be."

Her brown eyes quickly darted away, but like father like daughter, she 'manned up' and put on a brave face when she turned back to me.

"I'll watch Matty and you two take care of Ty-guy."

I parked my ass on the couch and gave her a thumbs-up. "Consider Ty my priority. Now head upstairs before I scar you, your brother, and the dog, for life."

She grinned at us before heading up to play in Matty's room. As they walked up the stairs, we could hear her tell him ... " _You may be about to see a real fire truck like the one on your sweatshirt."_

"That girl's good," I told Ranger. "She always knows the best way to distract him. A potential adventure works every time."

Usually Ranger would be agreeing with me and adding a few more of Julie's skills, but he remained noticeably quiet since the 911 call.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner," I told him, when I knew we were alone. "Between my best friend, my sister, and cousin Shirley's, assertions that women have babies everyday in places worse than Jersey so I should stop thinking about it and just live my life, I was working under the delusion that I can do all the things I normally would up until my water broke ... and even then I'd have some wiggle room."

"Don't worry, Steph. I'm not mad and you don't need to be stressing yourself out about this," he told me. "I would prefer to know every single thing going on with you, but I understand why you didn't perceive this as an emergency."

"It still isn't an emergency, just an unexpected birth."

"Not so unexpected since Ty was supposed to come in four days."

"Great ... even in an emergency, you're taking time to be a know-it-all."

"I thought you didn't perceive this as one?" He replied.

"Is that ambulance here yet?"

"No. You're stuck with just me for now."

"Thank God," I told him, really never meaning it more.

"You talk a big game, but how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling that we need a new couch," I answered, trying to minimize any discomfort so I don't scare us.

Well, scare _me_ ... since nothing fazes Ranger except me or his kids being kidnapped by a homicidal maniac or serial mutilator.

"A couch can be replaced, Babe, you can't."

"Where have I heard that before?"

"I bet if you open a jar of dill pickles, it will all come back to you."

"It will. After being carjacked waiting for you, I haven't been able to go into a deli without being reminded of how much you love me ... and how often I've made you worry about me."

He leaned down to press a kiss to my lips. "Every moment has been worth it to get to this one."

"I know what you mean ... I just wish we could skip the painful delivery part to meet our second little-you."

I tried to stay calm-ish. I tried imagining myself relaxing on our little beach with an ice cream cone in hand. And I tried picturing myself holding Ty while completely glossing over this part of getting him into our family, but even that didn't ease his way into the world. Ranger helped me breathe, but I was afraid that despite our efforts, Ty will be born on our couch instead of inside a sterile hospital room. Ranger's a total neat freak, but Matty and I are far from it. And our beach house isn't exactly where I would've chosen to give birth ... which I really should've thought about before coming out here today.

Things happened fast after that, so I didn't have time to really chew myself out over a not well-thought-out trip. The ambulance arrived almost at the same time Tank did.

"Did you hijack a chopper or something?" I asked Matty's GodUncleTank.

"It helps to know people," he told me, over all the activity happening in our living room.

My vitals were taken, more questions were being asked and answered, and I was pronounced an impressive dilator.

"If you _did_ come by bird," I said to Tank, "Matty will want to check that out after the firetruck."

Having been at many crime scenes, as the victim or the rescuer involved, the sirens, lights, and radio noises that take place at them now can cause an immediate fight or flight response in me. I gave myself some credit for not reacting to all the emergency vehicles ... firetruck, ambulance, and a cruiser, that descended on our usually peaceful beach house. I thought about Matty and what would make him happy instead. Picturing his smile, put a strained one on my face.

"I'll play kid-wrangler until Ranger's folks get here," Tank promised me. "You just take care of yourself and Tyler."

That did get a real smile out of me as I was being loaded up. "You sound like Julie. She said something similar before she got Matty and Pup-Pup upstairs."

"Because they both care about you, Babe," my hubby told me. "With Tank here and my parents on the way, I feel comfortable heading out. I could deliver our baby, but I'd rather this happen in a hospital in case there's a complication. I'm not losing you or our son."

"From your lips to my uterus' ears."

I wanted to laugh at Tank's expression, but it hurt too much to ... so I just held Ranger's hand too hard and called for Julie. " _Jules!_ "

" _Uncle Tank!_ " She yelled, when she and the boys - the two and four-legged one - came down the stairs.

"Since GodUncleTank has wings, he's going to hang out here with you two and Pup-Pup until your grandparents can get here," I told her. "Matty, can I get a good luck kiss before Daddy and I go get Ty born?"

Julie smiled and I knew what was coming. "How about we give her a smooshy face, Matty?"

His grin stole my heart and reduced my fears. If we can have another child just like these two, I'm willing to go through anything and any amount of pain.

They ran over to me where I was white-knuckling Ranger and the rail on my bed-on-wheels. Matty climbed up on my right side, while Julie sat to my left. They both leaned in and kissed the cheek of mine on their side with enough enthusiasm, my face was essentially smooshed between the two of theirs ... and I couldn't have been happier.

"Thank you. You too, Pup-Pup," I said, since he did try to get a kiss to me, being a good boy by not biting or growling too much at the paramedics. "I think I'm ready to do this now."

Julie laughed. "You don't have much of a choice, Steph. Ty wants in on our family."

"Can you blame him? We _are_ the best."

"We'll be even better in a few hours," she confidently stated. "I can't wait. We're going to have a baby brother soon, Matty!"

" _Tyze is comin'._ "

"Like a steam roller," I agreed, a contraction lending weight to my comment.

"Matthew, keep your sister safe," Ranger told our son, picking him up and getting a hug and a kiss too. "Julie, keep your brother and Pup-Pup out of trouble. Tank, make sure everyone stays okay or I'll hurt you."

"We'll be good."

I was wheeled out ... a hospital birth seeming way more likely now. From their quick arrival, I know one town that's going to be getting a holiday donation. Ranger rode with me, not wanting me out of his sight. He also knows I wouldn't let go of him if he tried, and that his car will magically appear at the hospital when he _or we_ need it, which I hope will be friggin' soon. I'm not looking forward to the whole delivery process, but after the two years we've had with Matty, I can't wait for our time with Ty to begin.

We got to the hospital, and like it happened yesterday ... all the steps came back to me. What I needed to be hooked up to, the constant in and out of people in my room, the hurry up and wait anticipation and frustration, but the fear of the unknown is missing this time around. I know I can do this ... and now I also have a handle on what to do with Ty after he comes out.

The nurse agreed with Mary Lou, Val, and Shirley, that a second child typically comes quicker and with less build-up than the first. Now I totally agree with them, because I was pushing Ty out within the hour of my hospital arrival, which meant we may have made it to Ty's original landing zone. Labor was six hours total if you count my morning 'twinges' that I didn't alert Ranger to before we left for the coast. I think not being terrified of what was about to happen ... not only in the hospital but after we leave it, took a boatload of stress off me and made the process a little easier. Ranger must've been less stressed too, since he didn't have to waste time assuring me every five minutes that we'll all be okay.

We're far better than okay, and just the thought of Ty ... never mind his wriggly presence, only added to it. I breathed, I swore, I sweated and pushed, I waited and pushed again, and was rewarded with an unhappy cry for all of my efforts ... and it wasn't _my_ cry of pain. More Tyler's ' _Why the heck did you just shove me out into this room from what was a pretty cushy home!_ ' wail. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard ... aside from Matty's cry at birth and his giggle now, and every time I hear Julie refer to me as her ' _Steph-Mom'._

"Congratulations," the doctor told Ranger and I. "You have a perfect and healthy baby boy."

That's what I think I heard, I was busy trying not to cry ... from the pain, the emotions, and the mirroring emotions flickering in Ranger's usual purposely-blank eyes. _We did this!_ I thought as I stared in love at the pink-tinged, wriggly, pissed-off, combination of me and Ranger, who was placed on my chest so he could get a quick but effective rubdown.

"Proud of you, Babe," Ranger said to me, just like he had right after I gave birth to Matty, kissing our second son after kissing me. "You did good."

"I hope you remember exactly what I did, because everything from the time I got rolled out of our house until now has been a blur."

"You kept calm, did what you had to do, and gave me yet another reason to be glad that I'm _me_."

"Because you have a wife willing to go through all of this just to have another baby with you because I love you and our kids so much?"

"Among many other things."

I had hugged and kissed him, and cried over our baby long before Ranger had even been asked to cut the cord. He did so without a wince ... and it became official. I woke up this morning pregnant, and I'll go to sleep tonight being a mom of two boys and one incredible teenage daughter.

"I almost can't believe it," I said, when all seven pounds two ounces of Ty was cleaned, finger and foot-printed, somewhat dressed and given back to me. "I feel like I was just freaking out about being pregnant with Matty, and now we've got a little Ty-guy to have and to hold on top of getting to be Matty and Julie's parents."

"I think birth adrenaline has you confusing your current thoughts with our marriage vows."

"Could be, but look at him. He's Matty all over again, but also his own tiny person."

Tyler Lorenzo Manoso is just over seven pounds of blue-eyed, black-stranded energy ... and I don't want to let him go. I tried to keep one arm around him and the other around Ranger, but things got complicated when a little while later, Marie and Eduardo arrived with Matty and Julie so they could meet their little brother. I wanted to hold them all, but lacked the appendages to accomplish that.

So ... like a Sunday morning during a usual Julie-visit, everyone just piled onto our bed with us. I slid myself up a little more towards my pillows, Matty settled into my side, and Julie sat beside him. I had Tyler in my arms and his little cap-covered-head was brushing Matty's arm. Ranger bookended Julie, securing the perimeter. Our family as it will always be ... _together_.

"I can't wait until we can all go home," Julie told Ranger and I.

"Are you that ready for diaper-duty?" I teased.

"Not really, but I'll sign up for it if it means you and Ty get to leave here soon."

"With no complications," I told her, "we'll likely get kicked out tomorrow or the hospital knowing who your Dad is ... the day after that."

"So ... should we stay in Trenton with Grandma and Grandpa?" She asked her Dad. "Or go back to Newark with them tonight?"

"It's up to you," Ranger told her. "You, Matty, and the dog, can sleep in our bed on seven if you'd like."

"That settles it. _Slumber party at Rangeman!_ "

I glanced at Marie, wondering how she felt about a Trenton stay.

"Sounds like fun," she didn't surprise me by saying. "Ella and I do have a lot to talk about."

"I don't doubt it," I said to her. "I'm seeing a 'Welcome to the World, Ty' party in our immediate future."

Having been able to hold Ty while the kids were getting settled in next to me, would've completely negated any objection she could have, but I'd guess her answer would be the same ... second grandson or not. She and Eduardo would do anything to make Julie happy.

"You could camp out in the living room," I suggested to Julie, "and let your grandparents have the big bed."

Marie smiled at me. "Don't you worry about us, Stephanie. Eduardo and I can sleep _anywhere_."

From the love I saw in her eyes as she looked down at our newest family member, I could tell that she'd curl up in the cot Ranger will ignore tonight if it meant she could be near her grandchild. A couch one room over from Julie and Matty, the Manosos would call a luxury.

I can understand that, since just letting someone else hold Ty when I wanted to hog him and his new baby smell, is difficult. If I didn't love my kids and my in-laws so much ... it may have been _impossible_. Ranger, Matty, Julie, and I, have been such a tight-knit team, it takes a minute of adjustment when something big happens and our world expands beyond our seventh-floor apartment.

I hate being inside a hospital, much less sleep in one, but some things I don't have a say in. And if _Ty_ has to stay here, there's nowhere else _I'll_ be. _Ranger_ won't leave _me_ , so I was even more thankful for his parents. Between them and Tank, plus all the willing Range-sitters, we don't have to worry at all about our kids and dog being cared for and kept entertained until we can be back with them.

I think the biggest surprise about me having kids, other than the fact that I'd been a woman who - before Ranger - had reached the point of vowing to never have children, is realizing that I wasn't going to be alone in raising them. Not only is Ranger a totally hands-on Dad who wouldn't be content to be just a 'good morning' and 'goodnight' type of parent after being forced to be just that with Julie, he and I also have a backup team ready - and sometimes far _too_ eager - to help us out whenever we need reinforcements.

As expected, Ranger firmly stated that he will be refusing the cot that the hospital provided. This is a time in our lives that we both want to share, and any distance between us, or between Ty and the two of us, isn't welcome. Luckily, this is a hospital that believes in the benefits of rooming-in, so I don't have to have Ranger kick some administrative butt to keep our son in my room with us.

Ty slept surprisingly well on his first night 'on the outside' only waking up three times, so I couldn't use that as an excuse to keep holding onto him, but just having him beside us was enough. The night went by fast and I felt only mildly exhausted. That bit of lethargia was pushed to the back of my brain when Matty and Julie came to visit us again the following day. Matty was standing at the door one minute and by the time I blinked, he was already by my bed attempting to crawl up to sit with me.

The need for physical contact and that kind of unrestrained joy at seeing me, I know he got from his Dad. My baby missed me and he isn't interested in hiding how close he is to his Mama, which doubled my own joy at seeing and hugging him again.

"Easy, Matty," Ranger said, after he provided our son with an assist up and onto my hospital bed.

Our son didn't stop his ascent until he was sitting up by my pillows. " _Mama's gots a boo-boo_ ," he said, nodding knowingly.

"Mama _is_ going to be moving slow for a few days," I told him.

"It's a good thing I'm here with you guys," Julie said, making me feel even better by coming over to sit on my bed too.

I know I'm not her mother, but I can't be any happier at being who she lets me be to her ... friend, co-conspirator, partner-in-playfulness, yet also a parental figure she trusts to always love and protect her. Even when I didn't personally know her, I was willing to exchange my life for hers, not only to rescue a child from a madman, but to save Ranger too. He wouldn't have recovered if Scrog had killed his daughter because of him. That need to keep Julie safe intensified daily the closer her Dad and I got.

"You're here to enjoy your vacation and spend time with now … your _two_ little brothers," I pointed out, "not do any heavy-lifting."

"That's what _I'm_ here for," her Dad told her.

"No," I said his way. " _You're_ here to love us and keep us all safe and sane."

He bent down over Matty's head to kiss mine.

"What did you get to have for lunch from BiBi?" I asked Matty, feeling a twinge of regret that he had to rely on someone other than me or his Dad to feed him.

I looked down at Ty's unfocused blue eyes and busy arms and legs, and thought _he's_ the _only_ reason I would purposely give up time with Matty. Tyler needs me ... and I was sorta a key player in getting him born.

" _Duck duck, goose goose_ ," Matthew answered.

"Otherwise known as couscous," Marie told us. "You'll be happy to know that his dump truck spoon scooped up every last bit of it from his construction site plate." She glanced towards her son. "He also had a whole half-loaf of the turkey/lentil mini-meatloaf I made. It was a complete meal. I knew you were going to ask. Julie voted for pizza, but ate the same thing Mateo had just to be a good example for him."

"You did good, Mama," Ranger assured her. "And Ella will be thrilled that you tried the recipe she gave you. You wouldn't be who we always call when it comes to Julie and Matty if we didn't consider you the best. Plus, Julie already knows pizza is a given once Stephanie is sprung from here."

My mom-in-law's smile rivaled Julie's. It was actually brighter than the fluorescent lighting in the hospital room.

"I know I'm being greedy, but can I hold Tyler again?" Marie asked me, knowing from experience how difficult it is to let a new baby go.

"Yup, I need both arms for Matty and Julie," I told her.

Once Marie swooped in to smother Ty with love, I curled an arm around our two eldest kids.

"Oh my gosh, Eduardo," Marie stated, "look at him. He's even more precious than he was yesterday."

"He is at that," my Dad-in-law said, curving his hand along Ty's cheek and smiling besottedly down at his grandson lounging in his wife's arms.

"That's what _I_ said," I replied between both of my bedsitters' heads, almost the same position as I left them yesterday. "And your son didn't disagree, so it's clearly true."

It's hard to dispute. Ty is slightly smaller than Matthew was at birth, and has a far more manageable amount of dark hair, but he has Matty's nose and our eye color, with Manoso DNA already apparent, so no one can claim he isn't perfect ... and a perfect representation of our family. I used to think it's not possible to love two men at the same time, of course only _one_ of those had been _real,_ the other had been just an implanted suggestion that was allowed to fester, but I now find that I can love three equally ... and so friggin' much, I almost can't take it. Ranger, Matty, and now Ty, are all this woman will ever need.

I held onto our kids while staring at our littlest one. I'm still shocked that _I_ grew him, never mind Matty too. I was taught at a young age to see myself as a screw-up who fucks everything I do up ... and will continue to until I'm dead and buried, a death likely caused by my own stupidity if you went by what Joe and my mother used to hit me with everyday. I can't believe that about myself anymore when I have Matty, Ty, and Ranger, showing me that I _can_ do something very right every single day just by being the mom my kids need and the wife Ranger can't live without.

" _Can I holds him 'gain?_ " Matty asked, sitting up and staring directly into my eyes, willing me to believe he can do it all by himself this time.

"Like I can resist a face that adorable?" I asked back, bending my head to kiss the top of his. "I'm not sure about Bibi though. You may need to use puppy eyes on her to get your brother back."

"That's fighting dirty, Babe."

"It is," Marie agreed, walking back over to my hospital bed with Ty. "But I too find it impossible to resist any of my family's requests."

I took Tyler back and had to pause myself to look down at him, watching him stretch his arms any way he wanted to now that there are no uterine walls to contain them. His yawn was as dramatic as the ones I've given his daddy, so wide that Tyler's forehead became involved in the action. My eyes shot to Ranger and I could see what I'm feeling reflected back at me in his. I've learned that life can in fact be good, but neither of us could've pictured _this_... that we'd have a family like this one or how much we'd want and love it.

He came closer and leaned over us, pressing his lips first to mine and then to Ty's cheek ... timing it perfectly so he didn't get gooed as the baby-tongue peeked out from Ty's tiny mouth to meet his fingers before he turned his hand and attempted to suck on the back of it.

"You have to be really gentle, Matty. Just like before. Okay?" I said, finally pulling my eyes off the boy who feels like he's _our family's_ baby ... not just mine. "Your brother is _really little_ and he needs his big brother and sister to look out for him and make sure no part of him gets hurt."

"Don't worry, Steph-Mom," Julie said, "I'll help Matty hold Ty. Come scoot near me, Matty-man."

My hormones got jacked up seeing how quickly and trustingly Matthew moved to sit in Julie's crossed-legged lap. Both kids, who look so much like Ranger, stared at me in anticipation. Matty reached his little arms out for his brother, and Julie's flanked his … happy to cuddle him and also ready to hold Ty again.

I carefully placed Ty in Matty's arms, making sure Tyler's body was being completely supported by Matty's little one and Julie's under and around his, and she closed her arms around both of our little Manoso men. Ranger sat on the opposite edge of my bed and watched along with me the love that already formed between our three kids. I can't help but wonder if children like ours, who have an unusual understanding of those around them, immediately recognize each other ... or if it's just _our_ kids who know what they're up against and have decided safety is in numbers.

Ranger was close, both of us quiet. As I was reaching for his hand ... his was already out seeking mine. I don't know how we did it, still can't believe it, but whatever demons he and I were fighting separately ... we've made sure our children weren't touched or tainted by them.

Visitors showed up in waves as well as in droves as word was spread about where we disappeared to. Ranger's siblings and grandparents just barely beat Grandma Mazur, Mary Lou, and the Kloughns, to the hospital out here. As I'd hoped, our off-duty Merry Men had taken turns arriving soon after the ambulance dropped us off here and their shifts ended, not trusting anyone outside of our unique family guarding us. They wanted to do the only thing they could to aid Ty's entrance into our world.

My parents did surprise me by driving all the way out here, not only because they arrived when they knew everyone else would be here, but also due to my threat of creating holy hell if my mother dared to endanger Ty to gain Burg-points by going public like she had unwisely done with Matty. Because I don't want to dampen my Ty-joy, today I'll allow the delusion to hang around that they actually wanted to see their grandsons.

Tomorrow, I'll go back to knowing my mother was likely hoping to stake her claim on Tyler since her plans regarding Matty definitely didn't go her way ... to the point that he's wary of her without input from anyone else. He may be only two and three months, but he can sniff out an ulterior motive as effectively as Pup-Pup locates a piece of bacon.

My delusional thinking didn't last long. Being on guard, I automatically spotted my mother's lips thinning as she looked at Matty.

"Matthew," she said in the tone that still triggers my insta-fight response, "don't you think you should give your mother and brother a little room to breathe?"

My head snapped up, my spine went rigid, and all the air in my lungs hissed out in a warning. My arms completely circled Matty, bringing him even closer to me and further away from where she was standing, as if _anyone_ would _dare_ try to separate him from me. They'd pull back a bloody nub if they tried.

"Matty is right where I want him to be," I said, kissing the hair threatening to fall into his eyes. "And he's right where he belongs. You do have a point though, I could use some space. Ranger, can you make sure my parents make it to the parking lot?"

"Gladly," he said, already in the process of moving them out of our room. "It'll give us a chance to talk."

I fought to keep my mental grin a private one while imagining _that_ conversation. No one except the two of us are allowed to tell our kids where they can and can't be. And attempting to use them in a power play move is a mother-chucking no-no.

When it was time for Matty and Julie to leave with their grandparents, I was fighting the urge to wrap Ty up and make a break for freedom with them. One glance at Ranger completely nixed the idea though. I was prepared for twenty-four hours here, but not a minute longer … and my edges are starting to fray. If my doctor wants me to stay for the maximum amount of time I'm allotted, I probably shouldn't fight the extra care.

"You can tough it out and relax for one more day, Babe. We'll all be going home tomorrow."

"My head knows that, but the rest of me doesn't like it."

"Your body may appreciate more time to heal before you ignore me and go back to overdoing it again."

"I'm not agreeing with you, but hold Ty so I can squeeze Matty and Julie goodbye properly."

Seeing him with our kids, and how sweet and kind he is to them, always hits me like a sucker-punch. He's so secure in his pretty-friggin'-impressive manhood and also in his own skin, he can kiss his newborn son and turn around and shoot dead anyone who would think of harming us. Both of those people ... _loving Daddy Ranger_ and _deadly Army Ranger_... are part of the man as much as his dark eyes and hundred-watt grin are.

" _Weez going home?_ " Matty asked, while still lying beside me in my bed, his arm now wrapped around my ribcage and his head pillowed on my chest.

"You, Julie, and Pup-Pup, are going to be staying with BiBi and Abu again tonight, but tomorrow Daddy, Ty, and I, will definitely be going home with you. So give me a big kiss and an even bigger hug, and be the good boy we know you are and listen to your grandparents. _Okay?_ "

I loved him even more when he sat up and made an 'X' over his heart. " _I bwomise_."

"God ... how I love you my little Matty-man."

I captured him in a bear hug and got a loud lip-smack before Ranger lifted his arm that had been around Julie and Ty so I could hug her too. I got my newborn back while Ranger walked them and their grandparents out to their car. I wanted to follow them so badly, my feet were inching towards the edge of the bed before I stopped myself.

I looked down and spoke to the little guy who's curled into my chest looking a little sleepy. His eyes are at half mast and I felt mine close as I snuggled his warm weight against me. _I_ was reaching sleepy by the time Ranger got back to our room. I thought gym mornings with him, or running for my life away from some psycho, was exhausting ... pushing a person out of mine I can say takes more out of you ... _literally_. We got Ty fed and did a diaper change. When he was asleep, Ranger held _me_ until I went lights out.

Between feeding times throughout the night and more diaper experience, plus trying to make myself feel more human for the day ahead, the night and following morning passed quickly. By the time we reached nine o'clock in the morning, Matty was running back through our door with Marie trying to stay on the heels of his little Hot Wheels sneakers.

"He is a fast one," she stated, almost sounding out of breath. "He's just like Carlos was at his age. I needed four eyes and six hands to keep track of him."

"You're thinking of Diego," Ranger said to his mother.

"No. I'm talking about _you._ I know you believe he's Stephanie all over again, but your son is exactly how you were ... and still very much are in quite a few ways. I told my Mateo that we could wait until we knew what time you'd be ready to be discharged to come visit, so when _we leave_ it will be _with you_. But he knew you were coming home today and that meant as soon as the sun was up, _we_ had to _get up_ , plow through his cheesy egg-star in a hole breakfast, and come get you. We thought picking up Edna on our way would give you more time, but here we are."

"Mateo's enjoyed himself as much as we've enjoyed having him with us, but we aren't his parents. I'm afraid we don't compete," Eduardo admitted.

"Can't say the same," Edna told my in-laws, with an obvious grin on her strawberry-colored lips. "When Stephanie ran away from home, it was always straight to my house. Happened 'bout once-a-week at one point."

"Do you blame me?" I asked her.

"Heck no. Your mom had a stick up her patooty even back then."

"Hopefully Matty, Ty, and Julie, will _never_ have that as a reason, or want to run away from our home for _any reason_."

"It's more likely you'll find _yourself_ needing a break from _them_ , Babe."

"I'm not at all concerned about that. They're three of the best people I know ... and that includes most of the adults - outside of our building - that I've met in my life."

"Speaking of children and adults, you don't have to worry about how long it takes to get your release papers," Marie said to Ranger and I, "we brought along those light up cars and tracks. Julie and their RangeUncles promised to help Matty build an elaborate race track in the waiting area. We'll be here whenever you're ready. And anytime you need a break, you can let the babysitters take over."

"I'm going a little stir crazy in here," I told her, "so you could probably just grab the cars and an Uncle or three and bring them all in here."

"Ty's gonna need to sleep, Steph," Julie pointed out. "You will, too."

"I'm used to getting up early and being busy all day ... _what?_ " I stopped and asked Ranger, when I caught him look up from Ty and give me a weird one.

"I'm just flashing back to all the times I had to literally _drag you_ out of bed and then ply you with three cups of coffee before you'd forgive me for it."

I smiled, remembering _every_ time Ranger was in my bedroom. "Sometimes, I'd even make you buy me a doughnut before or after the job or workout."

He leaned over and kissed the spot where those memories are located. "I'll buy you one tomorrow. You'll need it since we'll be up long before the bakery opens. That's if we even get to sleep."

"Which is why you need as much rest as you can get while you have the opportunity to enjoy some," Marie wisely pointed out.

But I'm up, have basically eaten, am semi-presentable, and am ready to blow this pop stand. As far as I'm concerned, all we have to do is get Ty dressed in his _hit the road_ clothes and do just that. To make sure Julie didn't feel like she's missed too much of Ty's life by living in a different state, the day after she landed in Jersey to spend part of her summer vacation with us, attend our July 4th party, and hopefully be here for her brother's birth ... the entire family went to Quaker Bridge. Her Dad and I let her pick out the clothes Ty would be wearing home.

That was my and Ranger's intention anyway. She took the mission seriously, but she also asked Matty's opinion on the outfits she liked the most. Ultimately, they agreed on the one he appreciated the loudest. He picked the one-piece pjs because they're blue camo just like his room. The deciding factor for Julie was the little teddy bear in dress blues standing there saluting where a shirt pocket would normally go.

" _This is what I see every time I go with Dad to a base or somewhere close to one_ ," Julie had explained at the time. " _It's one salute after another_."

I'd whispered loud enough so it was obvious Ranger should ' _overhear_ ' me. " _Don't tell your Dad this, but he's kind of a HUGE deal."_

" _Babe_."

Julie and I had smiled at him, but she took the lead and spoke. " _You ARE a big deal, Dad, but it's really funny what a normal dad you are on top of that. It doesn't matter that you can still scare someone like Uncle Tank, you're a total softie when it comes to us. Ty's going to be born only knowing how to eat, sleep, and fill a diaper to maximum capacity, but that doesn't make him less of a person deserving of respect in your eyes. We're all different, have different personalities and goals, but we're ALL equal. That's what you've taught and have shown me_."

My hubby was speechless for a second, standing motionless right there in the baby department of Macy's, looking at his 'baby girl' as if she was morphing into an amazing young woman right before his eyes. I, on the other hand, had more than enough to say to - and about - daddy and daughter.

" _You are your Dad's daughter, and also a child who would make any parent proud. Just when I think either one of you can't be anymore wise or mature, you hit me with something else. If Ty's not born soon, I swear I'm going to single-handedly cause a flood in Trenton. I wasn't this emotional when I pregnant with Matty_."

" _Yeah, you were Steph_ ," she had told me. _"You were sniffling every other second, and that was just what I saw when I was here._ "

She was probably right. I can't remember every minute of the last two-plus years, but I do know it's impossible to picture my life without Matty in it. And it's going to be the same with Ty. My past felt like just that, crap that happened to me a long time ago, when Ranger and I got together and Julie began to love me. I think trying to help make her childhood better, healed some wounds my own caused. My life changed forever when I found out I was pregnant with Matthew. And now I feel _complete_ having Ty in our family.

I told our newly-born all of that, when I took on the task of wrangling all of Ty's wiggling limbs and tried to direct them into the arms and legs on his onesie pj's so we can finally go home. I kissed his cheeks, went nose-to-nose with him so he could get used to my face, and tickled him under his chin, _multiple_ times before he was ready to roll. It took a little longer, and required some hubby-help, because the RangeUncles were letting Matty use their cells to text me pics of the progress of their raceway in the waiting area, and I felt compelled to respond to every one of them in a way that I know Matty will laugh at when they were read them to him.

If the nurses weren't happy just to have Ranger on their floor to stare at, we could've had a complaint-issue about the noise-level generated by our Rangefamily. I didn't realize it until just then ... why I didn't find it hard to trust Ranger. Even with one or two younger, non-pregnant or post-delivery, nurses coming and going, my hubby was oblivious to them unless they were doing something to - or checking something on - me. He was polite, but he didn't smile at, flirt with, or pay any real attention to anyone except me ... or our kids when they were visiting.

That's really a vast contrast to Morelli, who needed his ego - and other things - stroked by whatever blonde, brunette, or other dyed dick or wallet-seeker. I've _never_ doubted my husband, but I've also never really dissected his single-minded devotion before. He doesn't just love my outside package, pregnant or not, he loves the specific complicated, sometimes annoying, imperfect, woman that I am _._

There are smarter, more attractive, more skilled, people in the world, but fortunately for the planet ... there is only one _me_. Ranger's laser-like attention and intentionally-caring actions show that he doesn't want to lose me. He make sure I know I'm loved and appreciated for the peace, humor, and insanity, I bring to his life everyday. Ranger's kind of love is a luxury few get to experience and it has me falling even more in love with the Man, The Myth, and My Legend.

He got his own time with our Ty-guy when he picked him up to get him settled in the seat of his brand new rear-facing car seat. Apparently, a lot of new bells and whistles, along with newer safety features, have been figured into baby seats in the two years it's been since Matty was as little as Ty is now. Ranger got Tyler buckled in, covered up, and also told him how much we love him in-between a few kisses of his own. That new baby everything really is irresistible.

Marie and Eduardo came back in our room with Matty, Julie, and Grandma, when we were ready to go.

"Grandma Mazur and I are riding back to Trenton with Grandma and Grandpa," Julie informed us. "So you don't have to worry beyond two car seats."

" _Someone's_ bailing on us," I said to Ranger.

"She's smart to," he responded. "Julie knows how much work car seats are to sit between and get kids out afterwards, having to go through it with a little brother and a sister."

"Mom called me an expert on it," Julie proudly stated, "but since you're going to have Matty and Ty with _you_ , I don't want Grandma and Grampa without a grandkid. And Grandma Mazur wants someone to gossip with."

"As long is it's because _you_ want to spend time with them," Ranger said, curling his arm around her shoulders to pull her close so he could see her face. "You are _no one's_ consolation prize."

"Don't mind your Dad," I told her. "I think because of what he's helped me through, he's worried about you feeling like I once had, which isn't likely considering how everyone you meet instantly loves you."

"It _isn't_ likely," she told him. "I know you love me and like hanging out with me. We're in this together. _Always_."

He dropped a kiss on her tilted-back head which had been fixed with a huge smile, and I wanted to hit pause on our life until all three of us can fully absorb this moment, but I need to be out of the hospital and our family needs to be back at Rangeman.

" _I shows Tyze to mize Uncles?"_ Matty half-asked/half-stated after we'd gotten him and Ty buckled into my Cayenne that Tank had brought to the hospital.

He repeated what is now just a statement, no question in his mind now, before Ranger parked in the garage under the Rangeman building.

"We know how strong you are, Matty," Ranger told our baby, "but Ty is heavier than he looks. How about you get the door for Mama, and then you can introduce Tyler to your Uncles?"

Matty did better than that when we were ready to head inside. I'd slid out of the car ... wishing like hell that delivery involved _someone else's_ body, and waited while Ranger unsnapped Ty's car seat from its base.

"Would you like me to carry him, Babe?" He asked me. "Or would you prefer to, since you did all the work?"

"He's your son, too. I'm okay with you bringing him in. Everyone knows I made the perfect little boy that Ty is, so I'm not popping a stitch just to prove a point or hog what is really _our_ moment."

I'm all about maturity these days. Seeing how my mother cut my father out of any parental discussions and pretty much blocked his presence from anything parental period, I knew I would _never_ do that to Ranger. One of the biggest differences between my dad and my husband, Ranger wouldn't stand for me cutting him out of Matty or Ty's life, whereas my father seemed to have welcomed my mother limiting his involvement with Val and I ... and afterwards carrying that over to my nieces.

Matthew and Tyler are _our_ kids, and Ranger deserves to take equal credit for his part in making and raising them. I know I couldn't - and _can't_ \- be the mom I am without his help and encouragement. He helps me be who I picture myself being to our family.

How we got into the building was decided for us by Matty grabbing my hand and pulling me to the lobby door. As if sensing how fast our son's enthusiasm would move him, Ranger was right behind us, holding Ty's car seat.

" _Mama's gots a baby!_ " He announced in the middle of the lobby.

"Otherwise known as Ty, our little brother," Julie added, sliding her arm around my waist, catching up to us quickly after Eduardo had parked in the garage minutes behind us.

Matty nodded emphatically in agreement. " _He beez our brubba."_ He turned momentarily solemn. " _He's gots no hairs._ "

"He's got a little, Matty," Julie pointed out. "It's just not as thick or as filled-in as ours is yet, but it's coming."

"How're you doing?" Bobby asked me.

"I'm okay. A little surprised to have a July first baby rather than a July fifth or later bundle of boy, but I can't be more relieved to have him and be back home. It's the ultimate magic act. We go to the coast to drop off some party decorations, and come home two days later with a baby. So far, he's been a pretty laid back one."

"I can see that," Lester said, getting up close to Ty, seeming almost as excited as Matty is. "When do we get to get our hands on him?"

"Considering the size of most of your hands, I'm going to answer that one carefully. Whoever's free can come on up to seven with us and introduce yourselves to - or hang out more with - your new nephew."

"I got dibs," Bobby said, having shouldered his way over to us and is already wrapped around Ty's finger ... though it's _his_ index finger Tyler had curled his tiny hand around.

"You can't call dibs on a baby," Ram pointed out.

"Says the dude who'll be last in line," Lester told him.

"There's enough baby to go around if you'd stop fighting about who gets to hold him first and start moving towards the stairs and elevator so we can get ourselves home," I told them.

"Do you need us to get you something?" Bobby asked me.

"Not really. I only need my family, my friends, our dog, and someplace to park myself for awhile. File this away for a later date ... having a baby is _no joke._ "

"Diego's swinging by our place to pick up Pup-Pup and bring him back here," my Dad-in-law told me. "They should be here shortly."

"Good. Once the caravan and our welcome home-wagon follows us upstairs," I said to the lobby, "I'll be set."

"Who wants a ride up?" Woody asked.

" _Meez do_ ," Matty shouted, jumping up and down at the prospect of a manual lift.

I smiled. That thought would've been funny if Manuel had offered him that manual lift.

Julie surprised us all by playfully adding. " _I do_."

Not to be outdone, Grandma Mazur was right behind them, winking up at Junior. "My old bones could use a haul upstairs."

Ranger and I both grinned when Tank took Julie's request seriously and provided a shoulder-seat for the girl he loves like a daughter. Matty got a piggyback escort by Woody. And Grandma was shocked when Junior carefully scooped her 'old bones' up in a bride-style carry. I've spent so much time reminding myself of how lucky I am to have Ranger and the guys caring about me and making life something I look forward to living as soon as my eyes pop open in the morning, I sometimes forget how incredibly lucky _my kids,_ and now Grandma and my nieces, are to be surrounded by the absolute best almost everyday.

I was urged to move by Ranger, who kissed me out of my thoughts and wrapped the arm not holding Ty around me, propelling me into the elevator that poor Julie had to bend in half over her Uncles head to fit into, given Tank's six-and-a-half-foot frame with the added almost three-feet of upper Julie-body.

The guys made an almost all ex-military tunnel for the Woody/Matty, Tank/Julie, Grandma/Junior duos - and then Ranger, Ty, and I - to go through, reminding me of Army weddings I've been to as Ranger's plus-one … minus the swords. Only when my ass hit the couch and Ty was freed and back in my arms did the family - the _really big_ family members down to the _child-sized_ ones - relax and start taking seats themselves.

Matty climbed up onto the couch to sit beside me, burrowing his head under my arm like Pup-Pup does when he wants a hug. I cuddled him as close as I had Ty, and Matthew leaned across me to kiss the baby-head he's so concerned about. Ty not having a completely full head of hair is truly weighing on the mind of my eldest, but he's adjusting well by now seeming to rub it for luck.

"Ty's hair will grow in," I promised him. "He was probably thinking so hard about meeting you, that not all of it got to take root yet."

He looked doubtful, but he clearly doesn't love his brother any less, judging by the way he gently pet Ty's cheek with his entire hand like he didn't want to ignore even an inch of the baby-soft skin. I know, because Ranger and I, separately and together, had done the same thing to Ty, but using our fingertips instead.

"Ty may have 'calm' down like his Daddy does, but he has his Mama's energy," Tank noted, after lowering Queen Julie onto the couch beside Matty and I.

"I think he's got Ranger's calm _and_ his energy too," I corrected.

I was convinced Ty-guy had been training for months for a triathlon when he was inside me ... and he hasn't slowed down much since he came out. Even after what should've been an exhausting morning of getting ready to come home and the ride it took to get here, plus the adventure of actually getting up to our apartment, my littlest man is still awake and taking in as much of his surroundings as he was able to. Arms, legs, eyes, and his mouth, are all doing something right now.

"Okay," I said to the room, "my baby-fix has been refueled ... I think I can share him now. Who's up first?"

"The one who runs things when his best friend goes off and has a baby," Tank said, not having moved far from our position on the couch.

"That's nice to hear, that you consider _me_ your best friend, since _I'm_ the one who just gave birth to Ty."

Julie grinned. "Steph's got you there, Uncle Tank."

"And I have her son," he said, taking great care in picking up Tyler, since his hands placed end to end are actually larger than our baby is.

"Looks like you've got both of my boys," I told him, as Matty slid off the couch to follow Tank, taking this big brother-thing _very_ seriously. I looped an arm around Julie and pulled her over to take Matty's place beside me. "But that's okay, in the meantime I get Julie. And I don't mind being a co-best friend with my hubby. He _is_ the best company I can have."

"Babies are making you sappy," Lester pointed out.

"Duh. That's why they call them ' _pregnancy hormones_ '. They make me more nuts than usual."

"But you're not pregnant anymore, Steph," Hal added.

"Nope ... I just look like I am."

"You're beautiful, don't ever doubt it," Ranger said, his eyes daring me to deny it.

"See, Jules," I began, "you want someone who says stuff like that to you. You're not allowed to accept anything less than someone who appreciate how special you are."

"Hope you're just talking about her friends, because our 'Jewel' ain't allowed to date. _Ever_ ," Bobby stated.

Julie and I both sighed. "Don't worry," I said to her, "we've got a few years to work on them ... unless there's been some recent development on the Justin-front."

" _Just friends_ , Steph. We're. Just. Good. Friends."

"Those are the best ones to hang onto," I advised, while cutting my eyes to her dad.

"Times up," Lester said to Tank. "If I have to listen to more of this crap, I want the kid to distract me."

" _Matty!_ " I called. "I think Uncle Lester wants to wrestle to burn off some of that energy of his."

My son slid down off the chair he was sharing with Tank and Ty, and assumed an 'attack' position ... head down, arms in Hulk-stance, and little legs stuck out too far to really brace his body. He's so adorable-looking, it really lessened the fear he was hoping to instill in his Uncle. Lester grinned and went low, scooping Matty up off his feet. A blur of fur quickly joined the not-so-rough-housing.

"It looks like we got here at the right time," my bro-in-law said, Diego's eyes scanning the scene that has unfolded in our living room. "Mama said I had to bring your dog back. Keeping him apparently _isn't_ an option."

"It isn't," Ranger told him. "And now that you're here, you have to stay."

"Was planning on it. I wanna see the peanut. Are you gonna punch me if I steal him?" He asked Tank.

"Not in front of the kids."

It was said with obvious affection, so Diego wasn't too worried. He picked Ty up as Lester held a red-faced and laughing-Matty up out of Pup-Pup's reach, making our dog bark, hunker down on his haunches, and leap up to try to reach his little person that he missed. Despite the talking, playing, and laughing, going on … everybody saw the moment Ty moved his hand away from his mouth and appeared to have smiled at the chaos happening all around him. That movement, involuntary or on purpose, more than anything told me that Tyler is definitely _our_ son. He can embrace the mayhem rather than hide from it ... or cry because of it.

Instead of a huge party on the fourth at our beach house to celebrate our country's freedom and those out there still defending it, we had a quiet-for-us family ' _birth_ day' party in our Trenton apartment to celebrate Ty's birth two days after it, while getting a 24-hour jumpstart on the rest of the country's partying.


	3. Chapter 3

**All familiar characters and events belong to Janet. The inevitable mistakes are mine. Most of the mentioned kid-items or gifts I spotted online.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Ranger's POV**

I held my index finger up to my lips with my left hand and counted down to one from three with my right hand. As a good Soldier does, Matty remained quiet and waited until my last finger was down before moving closer to the bed and giving his Mama a good morning kiss.

" _Mornin' Mama!_ " He whispered loudly right into Stephanie's ear, causing a sleepy smile to form on her lips at his obvious joy at starting every new day.

We must be doing something right as parents if he enjoys just opening his eyes each morning. Before Steph even spoke, she reached out her arms and pulled Matty under the covers with her.

"Good morning, Guys," she said to us a beat later, as quietly as her drowsy voice would allow. "Guess I fell back asleep."

Matty's head popped up by her pillow like a dark-headed, messy-haired turtle. " _Tyze asleeb_."

"He would be, since Daddy and I just got him fed and changed less than two hours ago," she informed our son, looking towards the bassinet by our bed to make sure Ty is still alright and enjoying a peaceful sleep. "And do you know who was sound asleep when we were all awake?"

He thought about it, his little teeth nibbling on his lower lip just like his mother does when she's deep in thought.

" _I'z beez sleepen._ "

"Yes, you were," I told him. "You and Pup-Pup looked like you both were having good dreams the way you were smiling and your feet were moving when we stopped in to kiss you too."

" _I'z chazin' Pup-Pup threwed da moundains._ "

"Someone has been paying attention to his Daddy's and Uncle's stories," Steph said, burying her face in the spot between Matty's chin and the collar of his Night Ninja pj's to inhale the scent unique to sleepy children. "You haven't seen many mountains yet, but they do talk a lot about the ones they've had to schlep through over the years."

" _Tyze and I seez 'em?_ "

"Hopefully you'll never have to see _those_ particular mountains," I said to both him and my mother's God. My goal was to do what I could and _had_ to do just so my children will be allowed to live a life different from mine. "But there are plenty of other mountains we can explore."

Pup-Pup jumped up onto the bed and stepped carefully on and around my wife and son to sniff the air over Tyler, making sure his other little person is accounted for.

"You wake Ty up," Steph said to our dog, "and _you're_ going to be the one changing him."

It's possible Pup-Pup had fully intended to curl up on the other end of the bed once he knew his people were all in one room, but it's equally possible that he sensed Stephanie wasn't joking and didn't want to risk waking our son up.

"So, Little Man," she said to Matty, "what are your plans for the day?"

" _Weez gonza wark_."

"Darn ... I was hoping you had better plans than ours so I could steal them."

He laughed and flung his arms around her, trying to throw the biggest hug he could manage onto her body. " _Mama funny_."

"She is," I agreed. "You have a lot of funny inside of you too."

He grinned proudly. " _I makes youz laffs_."

"You do a lot more than just that for us," I told Matty, catching him as he stood on my pillow and launched his body at me knowing that I'll always allow him to fly, but will also make sure he lands safely when he's ready to.

I wrapped him in a hug and held on tight just as an " _Auk_ " sounded from the bassinet. The four of us ... my wife, I, and our son and dog, went dead-still to see if Tyler was adamant about being awake or just testing the waters before settling back down for another hour.

From where I'm standing with Matty, we could see a tiny hand emerge from the bassinet's depths, and a beat later Steph was out from beneath the covers and looking down at our baby.

"Morning, Little Guy. Guess your day's starting earlier than it did yesterday. Lucky you, this time your big brother and Pup-Pup are also up."

" _Tyze up! I gets him!_ " Matthew yelled, clearly thrilled that his little brother and tiny play-partner is awake and is now maybe able to do more than just look at him.

"My hero," Steph said, giving Matty a squeeze once I'd released him so he could run across the bed to get to them.

His body expanded so visibly in his excitement, it brought to mind images of frilled lizards when they're feeling threatened.

"You remember how we do this, right?" Steph asked Matty.

" _Beeeearwy carebul_ ," he answered, with a solemn nod of his head.

He shoulders his Big Brother duties as easily as he puts on his Mini-Boss hat downstairs.

"Okay, ready?" Steph asked our son.

Another nod was his answer. Steph went in first, sliding one hand beneath Ty's head and diapered-end, while Matty laid his in-between where his Mama's were. Together they lifted Ty up and out of his bassinet.

" _I dids it, Daddy!_ " Matthew said proudly.

"Yes, you did. And it looks like Ty appreciates the help. He has his eyes on you."

I'm not exaggerating just to make Matty happy. His vision is still unfocused, but Tyler's eyes are looking in Matthew's general direction.

" _My brubba wuvs me_ ," he said with absolute certainty.

"Well who wouldn't?" Steph said to him, moving Ty to her shoulder so he can be cuddled appropriately while having an arm free to bring Matty into the fold. Not to be left out, our dog also wanted his share of attention. "Have you ever heard of a little thing called personal space, Pup-Pup? It's too early to be dealing with doggy morning-breath."

That was said as he washed her face, only taking breaks to lick Matty's neck or Ty's head. I moved in and nudged him aside, mainly so I could take his place and nuzzle my wife's neck while interacting with my boys.

Steph's sigh had a definite contented sound to it. "There really aren't better ways to start my day than being surrounding by all of my men, but since we _are_ all awake, I guess we have no excuse not to get up, eat, and go downstairs."

I moved her tangled curls aside with my chin and pressed a kiss against the pulse point in her neck on the side that's free because I don't currently have access to our fingerprint-heart she did have tattooed on the opposite wrist of her Wonder Woman/Matty tattoo as soon as she was assured it would be safe. Feeling overwhelmed with feelings regarding our newest bundle of energy we created together, she altered the original design to add a letter 'T' in honor of Tyler where our fingerprints met to form the heart's shape. She surprised me again when she had wanted to add a small pair of angel wings with a 'J' center ready to protectively enfold our heart so Julie will know that she's always with her brothers - and us - in Stephanie's mind.

"You would typically be on maternity leave, Babe. You don't _have_ to go anywhere."

"Yeah, but I work _here_... which means I get catered to constantly, receive actual paid nap leave for either the boys or me, and time off whenever I need it with no questions asked. I'd be doing womankind a huge disservice if I don't make good use of having the best of all possible worlds. What you think is me overdoing it, I consider being a good mom and still a productive Rangeman employee."

"You have nothing to prove," I told her.

"Yeah, I do. I'm not living just to show myself that _I_ can do whatever I put my mind to, I now have three kids watching me do it. Our boys' and Julie's opinions of me means too much to me to slack off now. My body's good and my mind's better. Believe me, my working downstairs with the boys and next to you, is far better than me staying up here all day."

"Tell me something I don't know," I teased, while teasing her lips with a kiss. "You're dangerous when you're not focused on something."

Displaying more of Julie's sense of humor by the day, Matthew puckered up and tried to say ... " _You smoochies"_ … while trying to stay in kissy-face mode.

"Yep, a side-effect of loving Daddy," Steph told him. "So, my little Matty-Man, do you want to help me get your baby brother ready for 'work', or help your Daddy pack your 'rucksack' for the day?"

" _Wuck_... _wuck_... _wuck_... " he chanted.

"And we have a winner," Steph said to me, before turning to address Tyler. "Well, Ty, it looks like we lost out to a backpack."

"Sorry, Babe, but _you're_ the one who told Matty that it looks almost exactly like the ones I've had," I said, helping her off the bed since her arms are full with a now fully-awake baby and all the sounds and movement that accompanies one.

"I knew that would bite me in the butt, but it was also kinda brilliant since Matty doesn't care that he's essentially hauling down a backpack-style diaper bag full of his and Ty's things just because it looks like it's government-issued."

"The men accuse you of being sneaky at times ... and I have to agree."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," she told me.

"I am. I approve whole-heartedly."

That earned me a kiss and she didn't even put up a fake protest when I couldn't resist taking Ty out of her arms. Just like when Matthew was born, I see Stephanie every time I look at Tyler. His eyes, nose, and ready smile are all her. While she maintains that all three kids prove that the Manoso genes are stronger than all others because of their near-black hair, the shape of their lips, and their ability to raise an eyebrow independently of the other without needing to practice. It's hard to believe I'm now a father of three, but few things I'm prouder of.

Though Matty is only two - plus a few months - old, I didn't realize how much I've missed the chuffing sounds he'd made when he was a baby until I got to hear Tyler making similar ones. Stephanie will always be the love of my life, but I've since learned that love can get stronger and also be divided by four ... being fortunate to have a wife I remain obsessed with and three kids who love me back.

"Matty ... what do you think Daddy and Ty are saying with just their eyes?" Steph asked our son.

" _Weez eatz bweakfast so we canz play_."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," she said. "We need food in order to keep up with the action."

"I'm on it," I told her. "I'll start by putting the coffee on."

"Okay, Matty, so you and I are in charge of making the egg faces once Ty's all set and is keeping Daddy out of trouble. Do you want them scrambled or should we leave their yolk-eyeballs intact today?"

" _Babe_."

"What? We're just talking scrambled or fried eggs, nothing bad."

I was still shaking my head as I followed my family out of our bedroom. When Tyler's diaper was deemed still dry, his pjs were changed, and the scent of coffee filled our kitchen, I called Julie to say good morning just because it felt like one and I knew she'd be up.

"Did you guys get my sign?" My daughter asked.

"Yes. We opened it too late last night to call you, which is partly why I'm calling now. I'm sure that both Matty and Ty will agree with you that as _your_ brothers ... they really do have the best sister."

Our conversation began with that and her laugh as a response, and ended with her saying she loves me and tacking on ... " _Tell the little guys and Steph that I love and miss them, and I'll see you all really soon._ "

The all-is-right feeling those words created, carried over until we were on five for the better part of the day. Navigating naptime for a toddler and a baby less than a month old is challenging in of itself, never mind incorporating an eight-to-ten hour workday into the mayhem, but the four of us plus Pup-Pup did manage to have some semblance of lunch together before Steph and I had to separate again and one or both boys went between my office, hers, and the control room with the Uncles who wanted time with both.

When the call came, I was almost expecting it after having as peaceful a morning one could have running a security firm.

"I need you," was the greeting I received.

"Funny ... I wasn't thinking the same."

"You can be a smartass later, that bastard of a husband I spoke to you about is now holding my niece and her baby hostage in their apartment," Juniak told me. "I need you to get her and her daughter out ... _any_ way you have to. _His_ safety is _not_ my concern and I'm prepared to field any inquiries into this if they appear. I saw what you're capable of during that Scrog standoff, I need that kind of cool head now. My wife and I _cannot_ lose Nadia and little Simone."

"Is he armed?" I asked.

"He claims to be, but the fucker is crazy ... he could be saying that just to scare Nadia into 'obeying' him so she won't try to leave."

"Give me the address, everything you know about this, and the layout of their place."

"You'll do this?"

"I don't have a choice. If he kills them, I won't be able to live with myself."

"I knew I could count on you."

Sometimes I wish people felt differently. "Keep that in mind if Stephanie finds out you asked me to do this kind of favor."

That caused the expected and fearful pause. "You'll protect me from her, won't you?"

"Not on your life," I replied, and then I put pen to paper and took down the information I needed.

The difficult part isn't getting this job done, the hard part is having to tell Stephanie about it. I ended the call and headed through the door separating our offices. I was going in with a 'now or never' attitude, but I stopped short at the sight in front of me. My wife is on the phone speaking quietly and seriously to someone, so I know it's a client and not Mary Lou or Valerie. If I had to, I'd guess it's Mr. Krampton with the final details we needed to put together a security detail for his upcoming event.

Ty is currently taking a mid-afternoon nap along her chest and shoulder. She chose well this morning, putting him in the white, blue-train-covered sleep and play pjs that had attached feet. We learn something new about him almost hourly, and we discovered from day one that he's an active sleeper, his arms and legs moving consistently even when he's in his deepest REMs.

Even now, I can see that he's squirming around until he was able to press his face deeper into his mother's neck. If that weren't enough to stop me in my tracks, Matthew is perched on her knees, bent almost double over her desk drawing a picture no doubt intended for me if Steph prompted his latest art session. It's easy to take your life, and those in it, for granted ... but my parents made sure to instill in all of their children that _no one_ is more important than the family who loves you.

Matty looked up when he reached for another washable marker to color with and spotted me.

" _Daaaddy!_ " He shouted, sliding off Steph's lap and running over to me with his art project in his hand. " _I drewed Tyze!_ "

"What a nice thing to do for your brother. Let me see," I said, picking him up so he could show me.

Art is open to interpretation and Matthew's is the kind I like taking my time studying. Not only did he draw his brother, he'd added himself and Pup-Pup if the three misshapen circles, two with black spikes for hair and a blue polka-dotted one with two off-angle triangles perched on the top of it, were anything to go by.

"Good job, Matty," I told him with a kiss to his head. "You captured Pup-Pup's best side."

" _He gots big earws_."

"All the better to hear you talking about him with," Steph said, after ending her call and watching our dog trot back into her office from the control and whichever RangeUncle he'd been hitting up for treats.

I walked Matthew and myself over to where my wife was still sitting, not wanting to disturb Ty. I leaned forward to kiss her and to his Mama's delight ... Matty copied my actions and kissed her too.

I pressed my lips lightly to Tyler's head and watched as he shifted and dug the tips of three little fingers into the collar of Steph's uniform T-shirt.

"You make being a working Mom look easy," I told her.

She snorted, which caused a ripple effect in Tyler. She murmured a few soothing sounds and slid her hand up and down his back until he calmed down again.

"It's easy when I have Ella, a building full of babysitters, and a husband twenty-feet away who implements an open door policy. If Matty gets away from me, I don't have to worry about where he is or who he's with because I know the Swat-Uncles immediately surround him with safety until I can catch up. Speaking of your open door, you looked like you were grilling whoever was on the phone with you. Is there something going on?"

I'm proud but also dismayed that nothing escapes her notice or attention. The days of reminding her to be aware of her surroundings are over.

"Did you show Mama your picture?" I asked Matty.

"I only saw the work-in-progress, but not after Pup-Pup got ears."

I put Matty down on his own Daddy-like boots, and let him show off while I scratched our dog's head.

"You boys are always cuter in person, but this picture of the three of you is going on my file cabinet gallery," Steph told him. "Is there a magnet left so we can add it to the other pictures you drew? I think we'll have to ask Grampy Louie to order more so I won't have to pick and choose which ones get metal-time. If you keep this drawing up, we'll be able to charge double the price to take a tour of your 'museum' to put in your helper jar."

He seemed excited about raising even more donation money than he already has with his fake ice cream-sales. Matty opened the bottom drawer on her desk that she declared his, and he pulled out one of the square stainless steel magnets that state ... ' _Masterpiece By Matty'_ which also have attached clips to hold his pictures. He and Pup-Pup circled the desk to get to the four-drawer file cabinet that is already half-full of paintings, drawings, and coloring book pages. This has become Matty's version of Little Bossman 'work', along with learning to write his name, trying to read his books, and identifying and copying simple letters and words, while his mother and I are taking care of business.

"You can stop stalling now," Steph said to me, "and tell me what you'd prefer not to."

"The call was someone requesting my presence for a job."

"In Trenton? Or somewhere in the world I can't know about for an unspecified amount of time?"

"Trenton, or more on the edge of the city. It won't take long, but my expertise is needed with no questions asked."

That caused a pause, but she then nodded.

"What's the risk?"

"Everything comes with a certain amount of risk, Babe."

That wasn't a good enough answer, judging by the darkening of her normally bright blue eyes.

"I know that," she told me. "I'm more interested in how risky this is for _you_ specifically."

"I can get who I need to out." I know it's killing her not to ask a slew of questions, and I don't want that pent-up energy adding to her worry. "This is a clear good guy removing the bad guy situation. And I'm confident that I can help without putting myself in serious danger."

"Okay ... now what's your percentage of certainty of you not getting a scratch or even a bruise on you?"

"Ninety-eight percent."

She nodded. "That had better be true, because if someone hurts you, _I'm_ going to hurt _them ..._ painfully and at length."

"I love you, Steph."

"I know that. And you'd better believe what I feel for you is double your love. Promise me you'll wear every bit of protective/bulletproof/shatterproof equipment we have. I am NOT telling our kids that I let their father get shot ... or worse."

"I promise I'll be home in an hour or two."

"The clock is going to start ticking once you kiss all of us."

I did what was requested, dropping a kiss on one sleeping head and Matty's very much alert one, saving a lingering kiss for their Mama.

"Please, PLEASE, **_PLEASE_** , be careful," she whispered to me.

"I will. I have no intention of giving you and our life up."

"What do we always say to Daddy before he leaves to go to work?" She asked Matthew.

" _I wuvs you and owl mid you_."

"I'll be back before you, your little brother, and Mama, have a chance to miss me," I promised him, reminding myself that while protecting the population is what I devoted decades of my life to ... keeping my family together, happy, and whole, is the most important job I'll ever have.

My words got a small smile out of her. "That's not possible, but I appreciate your attempt to make us feel better. Matty, give Daddy a good luck hug and a direct order to get back before dinner time."

Matthew ran over to where I had stopped at the door and he curled his arms around my legs.

He tipped his head all the way back to look up at me, excited to share his secret. " _Weez habin' tagos!_ "

Steph grinned at me as she pressed a light kiss to Ty's whispy dark hair. "Our ingenious son went over my head and asked Ella if we could make tacos tonight. I guess I didn't help by explaining what tacos are by saying it's like building your own food."

"You knew that request was coming when Valerie came over with those dinosaurs 'dishes' designed to hold taco shells," I pointed out.

"Yep, we were destined to experience a dinner-death by Taco-ceratops and Cheese-Rex."

I re-kissed my family. "I know you'll take good care of your Mama and baby brother for me while I'm gone," I said to Matthew.

My chest felt tight as he stood up taller, filled with pride at me trusting him to keep his mother and brother safe.

He gave me his childlike version of a salute that he's been practicing with his Uncles. " _I waches Mama and Tyze_."

I returned the salute and the respect behind it and ruffled his dark hair until it threatened to stay standing on end. I didn't want to, but I left my family with a smile before I got into mission-mode. Having a child a similar age to Nadia's daughter makes this dangerously personal to me. In my mind, your job as a parent is to protect your child, even from yourself in certain circumstances like I felt I had to with Julie so my enemies wouldn't target her. So for this 'father' to be the one actually threatening his own daughter is reprehensible and completely unacceptable to me. As Stephanie will tell any and everyone, me saying something is _unacceptable_ , means heads are going to roll ... at times even literally.

I'd called Tank to fill him in on what I'm needed for and to tell him that he, Brown, and Santos, will be watching my back for this. More importantly ... I want Nadia and Simone immediately put into the best hands when I get them permanently away from the asshole they're, for the moment, still being terrorized by.

"What's the plan?" Tank asked when I met my team by my truck.

"I kill the fucker and get the girls out so they don't have to watch their backs for the rest of their lives. I want you there on the off chance I can't take him out quickly and quietly. If I'm able to get my hands on him, your job will be just to listen for the ladies until it's done and then making sure the scene's ' _clean'_ afterwards."

"Does Steph know about this?" Bobby asked me.

"Only the gist of the job. I don't want Juniak questioned if word were to get out that he bypassed the police department and legal system to gain peace of mind and the safety of his family. Steph knows I wouldn't leave her, Matty, and Ty, right now for something like this if it weren't a life or death situation."

The men nodded. This is what we signed our lives away for. Whether it be foreign, domestic, or emotional, terrorists ... we took an oath to eliminate them wherever they're found. Tank rode with me and Brown and Santos followed behind my truck in one of their own. As Juniak descended on my vehicle, I slipped on my protective gear, the body armor Stephanie had personally given me along with what my company has since developed. It's overkill in my opinion given the job, but while I'm not scared of anything, I do know that Stephanie learning that I risked myself unnecessarily is something I prefer to avoid.

"Kyle said Nadia won't live without him," Juniak ground out. "Not _can't_ live without him, but _won't_. That asshole had this planned all along."

"They almost always do. I promise you and her that this will end today."

He went quiet as his eyes searched the asphalt. They lifted and zeroed in on me. "Thank you."

"You've been watching out for Stephanie and have eyes being kept on Morelli, this is the least I can do to repay that courtesy and loyalty."

"My family means everything to me," he said.

"I know. Mine means even more."

A look of understanding passed between us and then it was time for me to move.

"Nads managed to get only one call out to me before he found out that she had it with her." He stopped and got his fear under control again. "I heard the start of that fight and immediately called you. That bastard has her and Simone cowering in the nursery, she'd said. He won't let her anywhere near the front door. She's as scared as I am now because it's clear that he knows there's no more second chances for him. Once she gets away from him today, she's never going back."

"Give me five minutes to get to their door and then try to reach him on his cell. I'll take it from there."

He checked his watch and nodded at me. Tank was at my back with Lester and Bobby coming up on our boot heels. It took less than a millisecond for me to get a sense of the place, the locks, and what will be needed once I gain entry. My main concern is to get Nadia and her baby out alive, but my goal is to also rescue them without traumatizing them any further. I have a silencer on my weapon and a knife in my boot, but I'd prefer not to use either one. Even if they're small yet deadly wounds, a bullet hole or slit throat still leaves a hell of a mess behind for people who shouldn't have to see and have nightmares about resolutions like this one afterwards.

I worked the locks and heard the asshole arguing with who I know is Juniak as I moved into the small hall that leads into the living quarters. Tank is here to provide backup and he hung back just far enough to get a shot off if one becomes needed. It won't.

We hugged the wall and followed the voice that will take us, I'd guess, into the open concept living room/dining room, which divides the kitchen from the bedrooms. If the fucker needs to keep tabs on both the nursery and front doors, it's the space with the best vantage point. Steph's luck must be with us, because the husband had his back to me as he assured Juniak that Nadia is _his_ and isn't going anywhere without him.

He couldn't be more wrong. Without making a sound, I crept up behind the asshole and then snapped his neck before he even realized I was there and his life was about to end. It was a fatal break and his cell fell from his hand as he slumped back into me. Tank took over, getting him out of the apartment and down the back stairs so the ladies behind the closed door only feet from where we're standing, or their neighbors, won't have to see him posthumously.

I picked up the dropped phone still linked to Juniak as Brown joined the party, while Santos went along with Tank to help dispose of this human waste. "It's handled," I told Juniak. "I'm going to go free Nadia and Simone."

He didn't say anything right away but I felt his relief through the line. "I'm on my way up. Don't shoot me."

"I'll try to restrain myself," I deadpanned.

"I wish I could be sure that was a joke," he said to himself before disconnecting.

"Guess he doesn't know you as well as he thinks," Brown said to me, moving to my side as we ventured into the bedroom side of the apartment.

"Not many people do," I replied, standing to the side of the nursery door before quietly knocking on it.

I wanted to give Juniak's niece a little of her power back instead of scaring her all over again by entering as I typically would, with the door crashing in and weapons drawn.

" _Nadia?_ " I called. "This is Carlos Manoso, a friend of your Uncle's. It's safe for you and Simone to come out now. Your husband has been removed from the apartment. He won't be bothering you again."

I could hear what sounded like a smothered sob as Bobby left us to head to the front door to escort Juniak in. No one needs a surprise entrance right now. I waved him towards the door to see if he'd receive a more interactive response. Juniak had already informed me that Nadia's terrified of firearms so that lessens the likelihood of her shooting whoever opened the door.

He also knocked. " _Nads?_ It's okay. _You're_ okay. You can come out now." We went still while waiting to see if she's ready to face the next phase of her life, one free from her personal monster. Juniak was less patient than Bobby and I were. He waited only forty-seconds before knocking again. "I'm coming in. Okay, Honey? If you put something to block the door, maybe you can move it for me?"

He waited another beat and when we didn't hear any movement at all, he turned the knob and slowly walked inside. We heard him gasp and then I was in the room right behind him. Thankfully, as bad as it looks ... it wasn't as bad as it could've been. Nadia has a split lip and likely a broken nose that caused both eyes to bruise, but she and Simone are still alive and the Mama Bear look we can see in her half-opened eyes as she clutched her daughter protectively to her chest, gave me hope that she can and _will_ rebound from the nightmare she's been living. She's a fighter and she has reached the point where she will do anything for her daughter ... even begin to live for her once she learns what we've just done for their family.

I met Juniak's eyes and he nodded against Nadia's head. He's taking over and will get her the medical and psychological care she needs. I don't envy him. He tried to prevent something like this from happening to her, but she needed it to click in her own mind that she deserves far better than what she had setted for.

Bobby and I left the family alone to start the healing process and I found myself with a desperate urge to see my own family again. Tank called while Brown and I were on our way back to the Rangeman building and assured me that our trash had been properly disposed of. Not that anyone will care if he does go 'missing', but Juniak can put an end to any questions almost as well as I can. If anyone wants to come out and call that asshole a victim, they can join him as far as I'm concerned.

Once I'd spoken with Tank, I called my wife. "I shouldn't have risked waking Ty up, but I wanted to let you know that I'm en route to home now."

" _Thank God_ , but you didn't have to worry. Ty's been awake for about fifteen minutes now. Matty was just showing him his likeness in the picture he drew while Ty had been conked out."

"Are the boys being a handful?"

"No more than usual. The ' _Thank God_ ' was from relief of you being okay. You are, aren't you?"

"Yes. Everyone's alright. There was one casualty, but it wasn't unexpected."

"As long as it wasn't you or one of our guys, I'll try not to play twenty questions."

"It wasn't. And if it will make you feel better, it was a really _bad guy_ who got good and dead before he could cause someone else's death."

"That does make me unclench a little more, though I know I shouldn't admit that."

"I'll be home in eight minutes."

"We'll be waiting."

She hadn't been kidding. I parked and as soon as Brown and I got out of my vehicle, Matty was bursting out of the held-open lobby door.

" _Dadddddy's ommm!_ " He yelled before clotheslining my legs.

"I promised I'd be back long before the tacos appeared," I said, picking him up so he could put another ' _I missed you a lot_ ' chokehold on me.

" _Tacos?_ " Bobby asked. " _You're_ celebrating Taco Tuesday?"

"Yep, we are," Steph told him before kissing me. "You're welcome to join us."

"Can I?" He asked, flicking his eyes to me.

I nodded. "Grab Tank and Santos on your way up to seven. They'll be back well before then."

They could use a family-day after this one as much as I can.

"Matty, we'd better warn Grandmella that we'll need _a lot_ more taco shells and everything that goes in them," she said, looking down at Ty when he made an ' _Unk_ ' sound and grabbed his ear, bending the cartilage in a way that would have me concerned if it didn't spring right back when he moved onto hooking his fingers into his mouth as his sky-colored eyes tried to keep track of his big brother, Uncle Bobby, and I.

"I would say I'll just take T.L.'s portion," Brown said, "but he doesn't have any teeth ... so Ty's share wouldn't tide me over for even a second."

"I'll call Val tonight and ask her where I can buy more dinosaurs," Steph told me. "I think she's enjoying shopping for things little boys might like a little _too much_. She brought a virtual trunk load of gifts to Matty's b-day party, knowing that what she buys for him ... Ty will eventually inherit."

"What do dinosaurs have to do with tacos?" Brown asked, his face appearing perplexed.

"You'll understand tonight," she assured him.

He nodded while shaking Tyler's tiny hand that was attempting to grab onto the covered-foot at the end of his pajama leg.

"Hey, M.J.," he said to Matty, who didn't seem interested in letting me go just yet, "it's gonna be me and you against Uncle Lester and your little brother in whatever we get into tonight. _Deal?_ "

He held his hand up to Matthew. My son gave his Uncle Bobby's palm a resounding smack of agreement. Brown grinned at him and dropped an arm around his body for a quick hug and kissed Tyler's forehead before leaving my family thankfully not like how we'd left Juniak's.

"You ready to swap?" Steph asked.

"Yes," I said, taking the now very much awake Tyler from her. "And no."

I kept hold of both boys, trying to keep enough distance between them so Ty's legs wouldn't accidentally kick Matthew. It never fails to shake me how my children look at me. Julie's dark eyes usually carry a hint of humor and a touch of seriousness whenever she's sharing or discussing something. Matthew's blue eyes latch onto me as if he's trying to physically absorb everything that I say and do. And now Tyler's similar eyes, while still getting accustomed to the sights and sounds around him, makes Stephanie and I feel like we're a lifeline he's latching onto when we hold or talk to him.

She got the lobby and elevator doors for us and I was just as curious as to what they had been up to while I was gone as she likely is about the job I was contacted to do. Since my wife is known to try to avoid a direct question she doesn't want to answer, as the four of us got into the elevator, I went with the sure bet.

"What did you, Mama, and Ty, do while I was working?" I asked Matthew, not his mother.

" _Mama walked Tyze wound 'n wound and den wen banga_ ," my son shared with me.

"Was Tyler being fussy?" I asked my wife, worried that he wasn't feeling or sleeping well and that prompted the constant activity.

"No ... he was being the little angel he is, it's _his Mama_ who was feeling on edge and needed to move. When doing laps around the control room didn't completely settle me, I let Team Uncle take over and have some playtime fun with our boys while I went to the gun range to blow off a little steam. I hate to admit it, but that did the trick in under ten minutes. I was then back to being the 'calm Mommy' Matty and Ty know and love."

"Told you so," I teased, flashing back to all the times I physically had to tug her to that area of the Rangeman building.

"You may _possibly_ be right on occasion," was the response I got.

"Way to keep me humble, Babe."

She smiled when Matty leaned over in my hold and tickled Tyler under his chin, which caused Ty to flail his arms in response. I think Matthew beats out my mother when it comes to being excited about us having a new baby in our family.

"Someone has to. I wouldn't want your head to get out of proportion to your impressively-built body," Steph teased.

"I have no fear of that happening," I told her, waiting for her to step out of the elevator on seven before the three of us followed her inside.

Pup-Pup was there to greet us. "Bones took him for a walk about twenty-minutes before you called me, so we have some time before we have to take another tour of the neighborhood. On the upside, Ty seems to like stroller-time as much as Matty here," she said, giving our little man a hug after I put him down and before he and our dog took off down the hall to start a new adventure, "enjoys not having to sit in one."

I grinned down at Ty. She was telling the truth about that. Matthew prefers _activity_ over _wait and see_ prospects. He's becoming more and more his own unique person. And his little brother does something new everyday. I'd swear he's grown and changed since breakfast, which makes jobs like today's take on a different danger than just a physical one.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Steph asked me, sensing that something is on my mind.

We made our way up to and then through the kitchen to find Matty and Pup-Pup hiding in their inflatable fort that has taken over our living room. Everyone who enters our apartment has been given a tour and an invite to hang out inside it, even Tyler has taken a nap in it under careful supervision of both Matty and Steph.

I sat down on the couch with Ty facing the fort and Stephanie curled up next to us, tucking her legs up underneath her.

"Okay, tell me what's bugging you," she said to me, straightening the shoulder of Ty's pjs where his sleeve had ridden up when he'd inspected his face and mouth again with all ten of his fingers.

"Nothing is bothering me ..."

"Maybe, maybe not, but talk it out anyway. Nosy minds need to know."

"You're not _nosy_ , Steph. You're _interested_ , there's a difference."

She leaned forward and kissed me and then our baby when he got excited at having her that close to his face. "I'm definitely interested in _you_. So what happened today?"

"I got a woman and her baby out of a bad situation," I shared, keeping Juniak's name out of it. "The daughter is only a few months older than Tyler is."

"Oh God," she gasped, likely thinking about the shooting she and Matthew could have been trapped in if she hadn't called off their day-trip with Mary Lou. "But you said everyone's alright?"

"They'll get there with the help of their family," I answered, letting Ty stretch his legs out across mine as I held him securely sitting up with a hand under each arm. He ' _Auked_ ' again, sneezed, and kicked his legs like they were attached to different marionette strings.

"That explains why you had Matty hit seven on the elevator instead of five, and why you wanted Tank, Bobby, and Lester, to have dinner with us tonight. You need a family night to remind you that yours is still okay."

Matthew emerged briefly from his fort and waved at us before disappearing back inside his hideaway which is full of at least half of the toys and books that used to be in his room. Everyday, Matty and Pup-Pup take turns carrying a new toy or treat into their inner sanctum.

"He's such a great kid," Steph said, not really to me ... just saying out loud what she's thinking.

"He is. We seem to excel at creating exemplary children."

"We do. Are you just complimenting our boys, or is there something more going on?"

"I've never second-guessed my career choices, but I think it's hitting me exactly what I'd miss if I weren't here to see it."

She froze. "Did someone shoot at you?"

Her rage had me smiling. "No weapons were pulled. _I_ wasn't in any danger."

She didn't respond right away, likely weighing the truth and possible omissions in my statement. "Do you two want to come cuddle with Daddy and I?" She asked Matthew and Pup-Pup, when he crawled out holding his favorite 'Petey the Porsche' book and Pup-Pup's came out right behind him with his mouth filled with a bone.

Matthew jumped into Steph's lap to get his book read one more time, while our dog was content to just lie at our feet, trying to pull non-existent meat off of his favorite chew toy.

My wife's eyes turned to me before she began filling Matty in one more time on Petey's latest car troubles.

"It's alright, Babe. I _am_ okay. It's just that what had once been a no-brainer for the majority of my life, I found myself momentarily questioning."

My life used to be lived helping and protecting those who literally have no one else. That vision hasn't changed, but I also don't want to lose my family while being a hero for someone else's. What I want to do with my life and who I need in it are once again waging war with each other.


	4. Chapter 4

**If I were to stick a bumper sticker on this story it would probably say ... '** _ **Life interferes and Matty disappears'.**_ **Thankfully he didn't go too far and I'm finally posting an update for him. Everybody and anything familiar belongs to Janet. Sorry in advance if there are more mistakes than usual.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Stephanie's POV**

"This feels just like old times," I told Ranger, after I passed my menu back to the waiter waiting patiently to take it from me. "Or maybe not so much. I remember being scared of being alone with you, only agreeing to breakfast, lunch, or dinner when we were already on the road - going to or returning from - a job. Man ... was I an idiot back then."

"You weren't an idiot, Babe. You were trying to protect yourself ... just as I'd done by not just telling you that I was already committed to you, and would always provide whatever you found yourself needing from me."

"I needed _everything_ you had, but couldn't say it. I hate thinking that we could've had our family a helluva lot sooner had I not been terrified to consider the possibility of starting one with you."

"Or as my mother would likely say to that one, we could have had kids that aren't Matthew and Tyler had we figured things out sooner."

"Good point ... and thank you. I want the exact little boys we have. I would've picked Julie too, if I'd had the option ... just so you know. Unfortunately for her, I see her as much _my kid_ as the two I gave birth to."

"She'd say the same if she got to choose a second mother figure, which she did do in a way. In case she hasn't told you multiple times by now, every time she and I saw each other after Scrog, she'd hint - or once she felt more comfortable with me … she flat-out told me that she really wanted me to put some pressure on your boundaries."

"Smart girl. She knew I needed a nudge in your direction."

I hadn't needed any kind of nudge to say yes when Ranger asked me to have dinner with him tonight. That's not such a strange concept, because we make it a point to have sit-down family dinners with the boys every night, schedules permitting. The difference with this one is it's a date for just the two of us, where getting dressed up and leaving our kids for a few hours with Ranger's parents - as well as the Rangeguys who're in the building - was required. And apparently so was leaving Trenton.

I dusted off one of my flowy dresses, praying it would fit properly and not make me feel like I'm a sausage stuffed into a too-small casing while in it. I promised myself that I'm going to enjoy my family and our newest member of it and not go 'all Rangeguy' trying to get back to pre-Ty shape, but my self-consciousness suddenly reared its ugly head. I really wanted to look good for Ranger tonight.

While I love and now brag endlessly about being able to create two little people solely with my body, it still seems unfair that Ranger remained perfectly the same while I've undergone a second metamorphosis. I shouldn't have worried about how he sees me, though. When I was done getting ready, my hubby paused in reading a story to Matty just to give me a pretty potent head-to-toe scan.

" _Mama lookez pwitty_ ," our son declared, causing my heart to expand to twice its normal size.

"Mama is always beautiful," my guy agreed, "but you're right ... she's even more so tonight."

I smiled my thanks at both of my men and then Ranger and I got Matty tucked into his bed. When his eyelids lost their battle against sleep, we moved as one back to our bedroom to also kiss Tyler before leaving. Even if you aren't a kid person, most would agree that sleeping or laughing babies are cute. Since Ty is asleep with a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his teeny mouth, plus being half-Ranger, made him a triple threat to any ovaries in his vicinity. He got _three_ goodnight kisses from me alone.

Marie and Eduardo got another round of thank yous and a head's up that Pup-Pup has added to his nightly patrol that now includes our bedroom ever since Ty became our new roommate. I felt a twinge of guilt that not only did we ask my in-laws if they could babysit for us while we went out for dinner, but also asking if they'd be willing to stay overnight just so we could get both boys to sleep before we leave for our date. It does take a village to raise our kids while also remaining the obsessed-with-each-other couple we were before we became parents of three.

One quick call to Marie before leaving Ranger's Turbo to head into the uber-fancy restaurant was all I would allow Matty and Ty's Mama. I flipped to being solely Ranger's wife after hearing that both boys are alright and still sleeping and breathing peacefully. Once I was assured that I can relax and enjoy myself ... I was all Ranger's.

That relaxed and happy feeling continued all throughout dinner and even more so after we got home. We re-thanked Marie and Eduardo for being the absolute best grandparents our family could ask for, and I fed Ty again before Ranger burped him back to sleep. I kissed our baby boy until his baby blues fluttered closed for hopefully another hour or three, and I treated a still-sleeping Matty to almost the same 'I missed you' treatment while careful not to disturb him while I did. Pup-Pup is just happy that he has humans awake to interact with, and he made his own family-checks while we got ready for bed, pacing between Matty's room, our's, and where the grandparents are now off duty and tucked into.

Usually a date with Ranger turns into an all-night affair, but I felt weird doing anything naked with his parents sleeping only a few doors away, not to mention Ty. It has taken a little adjustment to having a baby at our bedside again.

"It's okay, Babe. I understand why you may feel uncomfortable."

Considering he'd never settle for me phoning in a romantic moment, he really is alright with humoring my squeamishness. Lucky for me, there is _always_ a 'tomorrow' for us now. But once I got my makeup and clothes off and I was in bed with his arms wrapped around me and his muscles surrounding me, I couldn't have prevented myself from turning around into him and letting my thoughts, my nerves, and my body, go. I tried to be quieter than usual, not wanting to disturb Tyler whose bassinet is butted right up against my side of our bed, but I gave Ranger no less than one-hundred percent of my feelings for him and all the sensations he continues to stir up in me. Not only has he helped me create two amazing little men, he's given me the parents I've always wanted, and this life I enjoy living.

Reality intruded the next morning when I had to leave my three guys and furry four-legged one to go catch a dirtbag.

"You don't ' _have_ ' to do anything, Babe," my hubby reminded me. "You can go capture Mealgan, or you can hang out with us here and let Brown and Santos go in your place. I guarantee our boys and I are far better company."

"You guys are definitely who I'd rather spend time with. And I know I'm not 'contractually-obligated' to do captures, but I'll lose what I know if I don't regularly do apprehensions. I doubt bounty hunting is a muscle memory thing."

He nodded, making me love him even more now than I did just five minutes ago. "Then the boys and I will see you when you get back ... _unharmed_ or there will be hell to pay four times over."

I hugged Ty to me, oddly reluctant to give him up despite my stating that I need to feel like a Rangeguy at least some of the time. My tiny guy has been steadily growing ... and growing thicker hair to match Matty's much to his big brother's relief. Ty's becoming more alert to everything and everyone around him, and he has been actively trying to communicate with us, but Matty especially. The increased _ahh-ahhs, ooohs,_ and gurgles Ty lets loose whenever Matthew goes nose-to-nose with his baby brother, shows that our boys have already formed a bond that I hope with everything in me will last forever.

I want to always be there if my kids need me, but I really hope my babies and Julie will be there for each other … and also _want_ to be. I didn't have that with Val growing up, and I want more for my kids. Ranger was lucky and _did_ have - and continues to have - a great relationship with all of his siblings, and I want that for our boys and Julie.

I pressed a kiss between Ty's raised eyebrows and smiled while I watched Matty fleece his Uncles for the greater good right after we got down to five. This time he wants to raise some Uncle-money to buy food for a litter of abandoned puppies that all need homes, which is a news story Vince and Ram had unwisely been discussing within earshot of my always-listening kid.

" _We'd gets da puppy_?" Matty has asked almost every day after he got wind of the situation.

"Pup-Pup may not be ready to share you and Ty with another dog," Ranger pointed out.

" _But Tyze haz onze_?"

"Having a dog is a big responsibility," I reminded him. "You know how we have to feed Pup-Pup, and give him his own bath separate from yours and Ty's, and pick up all those poopies after he's been outside? It'll be _a lot_ more of that with _two_ puppies."

" _But Tyze gets onze?_ "

In that moment, I completely understood what my mother intended when she wished for me to have kids that are like I was as a child. It'd likely irritate the hell out of her that I'm so friggin' proud that my son has a voice and opinions and isn't afraid to share them. I always ask Julie, Matty, and Ty what they think because I want to know that what they say and feel _does_ matter.

In Matty's mind, we have the room, plenty of food, and apparently Ty's desire for his own Pup-Pup, and nothing will change my baby's stance on us rescuing something furry that needs a home as perfectly-chaotic as ours is.

"Daddy and I will continue to discuss it when I get back home," I promised him. "But right now, can I get a hug and a ' _Good luck_ ', ' _Go get 'em_ ', ' _I'll miss you, Mama_ ' kiss?"

I snuggled Ty into my shoulder and braced myself for Matty slamming his body into me. Taking a cue from his Uncles ... the bigger he is, the harder he loves.

"You be good for Daddy. Okay?"

He nodded emphatically. " _Ize watches Tyze wiff Daddy_."

"He's really lucky to have a big brother like you, Matty, but don't forget to have fun with Daddy and your Uncles too. I'll be back before you guys notice I'm gone."

"Try very hard to make _that_ happen," Ranger told me, taking Tyler's wiggly body from me so I could give Matty a two-armed squeeze that will hopefully last me until I see him again.

I gave Ranger a two-lip, one-tongue, one-minute-and-twenty-second kiss despite Bobby's dramatically impatient and disgusted sighs, and then I left them to go get another bad guy off the streets so children like mine can be one a-hole safer.

I admit, it was nice to get out of the building for awhile and hear ' _Shit, it's that fucking bounty hunter_ ', as Bobby and I set our sights on apprehending our douchebag. But once again, I already found myself missing my little guys and the _much_ larger version of them. Wanting to get back to what and who I'm currently missing _may_ have made me a little less polite than I should've been just to hurry the job along.

"Make this easy on yourself _and_ me," Bobby told Mealgan, "and do exactly what the lady says the second she says it."

"Fuck that shit. I ain't ever listened to a woman before, I sure as fuck ain't gonna listen to some bossy bitch tryin' to arrest me."

I felt I owed womankind a memorable response to that insulting one. While Mealgan was busy underestimating me and smirking at Bobby, I placed a Karate chop to the pressure point Ranger has shown me that will take someone's legs out from underneath them.

As always, my hubby didn't fail me. Mealgan crumbled to the ground outside of the dive bar he spends far too much time in and back child support on. I stood over his useless-in-all-ways body and nudged him with my CAT boot's steel toe.

"Had you listened to more women during your pathetic life, you'd likely have developed some manners and be equipped with a broader vocabulary. And maybe I wouldn't need to be hauling your ass to jail right now. Well, _Bobby_ will do the hauling. My man-standards are very high ... and you don't deserve another second of my time."

" _Daaaamn_ , Steph! You're taking no shit today," Bobby commented.

"Funny how placing value on my time makes apprehensions go faster."

I felt like a total Badass Babe up until Bobby placed the sole of his boot on Mealgan's back, conveniently where his wrists are now cuffed together. Our skip doesn't have a chance in hell of moving with his boot and weight pinning him to the ground. Knowing that, Bobby shoved me behind him with his left arm as he raised his weapon with his right.

"Drop it," he ordered a second guy who must've come out of the bar from a back exit.

"Let him go or I'll shoot both of you," Inebriated Idiot number 2 said.

Peeking around Bobby's shoulder, I could see gun-guy swaying on his feet. That could make this easier or harder, depending on if he's an angry drunk versus just a stupid and mouthy one.

"I feel it's my peace-keeping duty to state that the man who currently has a gun trained on you, places in the top three of any shooting competition he enters," I added helpfully. "And here's something else to consider, my husband _always_ places number one if he gets bored and decides to enter one. Do you really want both of them aiming a weapon at you? Right now or five minutes after I get home and tell my hubby all about how you and I met? You won't live long enough to alter this story to try to impress your friends with. By the way, I'm not such a bad shot myself and you're starting to annoy me."

" _Steph_..." Bobby warned.

"It's fine," I replied. "I'm sure he just realized that he can see his friend likely tomorrow if Mealgan makes bail again thanks to someone as stupid as Vinnie vouching for him. But if he pisses you or Ranger off, both he and his little buddy here will be dead before midnight."

" _Oh fuck_ ," the dumb-duo said almost at the same time.

"Recognize the name did ya?" I asked, suddenly feeling more chatty. "Ranger has that 'oh fuck' affect on people. And I'm quite happily Mrs. _Ranger 'oh fuck' Manoso_. I would say nice to meet you, but I'm not really enjoying your sudden appearance here. I guarantee it won't be nice if my husband hears someone pulled a gun on the mother of his kids. There's more than one way to pull a trigger, so I'd get your finger off yours if I were you and walk away now while your legs are still unbroken."

I couldn't blame him for his briefly muttered "Sorry, Dude," before hightailing it to his crap car and peeling away. Unfortunately for the guy, Bobby memorized and also snapped a pic of the license plate. Without having to ask, I know a 'representative' of Rangeman will be paying him a visit wherever he's trying to hide before this afternoon is over.

"If you hadn't put your body between mine and his," I said to Bobby while he jerked Mealgan to his feet, "I'd say that was almost fun."

"It won't be fun when The Boss hears that there was a slight hiccup in this apprehension."

"That was more of a burp than a hiccup."

"If you say so. I would've handled things differently."

"I do say so. And I just saved you the trouble of dealing with the TPD and all that paperwork Rangeman requires when a job involves shooting someone, so I'm going to let you have the pleasure of escorting Mealgan into the station."

"Ranger made sure Morelli wasn't on duty today. You can go in if you want to without having to see Detective Douchebag."

"I could, but Eddie isn't working today either, so there's no real reason for me to. I have two little boys at home, I can do without smelling pee and vomit from bigger, grosser, lesser evolved versions of them."

"Good point. Hell, now _I_ don't want to go in," he teased, securing our FTA in the backseat of his fleet vehicle.

"You have to. I want to get back to my guys as soon as I'm able to. Diapers, Pull-ups, spit-ups, and all."

While I like being out of the house, I love going home even more.

Matty was the first human to spot us coming off the elevator once Pup-Pup gave me away with a bark and a dash to the elevator, followed by a dramatic butt-plot in front of it. Considering I would never have called myself a kid person, I'm still surprised at the physical reaction I have to Matty's face lighting up when he sees me.

" _Mama caughts the bad guy!_ " He shout-announced to the entire fifth-floor before making a beeline for me.

"I did. With _a lot_ of help from Uncle Bobby and his foot. What's going on here?" I asked, bending to pick Matty up for a full-body hug.

A kiss from my husband came next while I was still experiencing a two-arm, two-leg toddler-squeeze. I'm tempted to get back in the elevator and come up again just to get a second round of 'Welcome Home' hugs.

"Our boys and I were looking forward to your return," Ranger said, letting me have Ty when Matty was ready to go balloon-catching, "so we apparently planned an impromptu party to celebrate it."

I smiled down into Ty's blue eyes. It's disgusting how much I missed these getting-chubbier-by-the-day cheeks and active little limbs that beg to be hugged.

Tyler's completely unaware of the B.S. his Daddy's shoveling, but I picked up on it pretty quick. "Yeah right. What's the real reason for the balloons?"

"I needed to run out and sign a contract at my lawyer's office. Tyler was asleep at the time, so Ella offered to keep an eye on him. It appears she and Louis collaborated in order to keep Matthew quietly entertained at the same time."

" _Matty!"_ I called, seeing him about to bite the balloon. "Balloons are to _look at_ , not _eat_."

"You'd think," Ranger said, catching Ty's hand which was waving excitedly. He let our baby gum the knuckle of his index finger as we played catch up. "I reacted just as you did, but it seems Louis and Matty made edible balloons from gelatin, sugar, plus some natural gums and starches. They aren't especially healthy to eat, but they're in theory safe."

"Okay. Sorry. I know I have nothing to worry about when you're on the job, but ..."

"But you love him so you're always concerned about his safety. I'm familiar with the feeling."

I nodded in sympathy. Keeping me and our kids safe and sound has been a separate full-time job for him. I glanced back down at Tyler and found that his tiny grin came close to matching his Dad's current one.

I was about to see that one of the two smiles isn't sticking around. "Why did you need Brown's boot?" Ranger asked me.

"Daddy isn't going to let me get out of answering that one, is he?" I asked my Ty-guy.

"No. _He_ isn't?" My hubby answered for him.

"Better just tell him, Steph," Bobby advised. "Or he'll beat it out of me later."

"No he won't, because it's not a big deal. We just hit a little apprehension-snafu."

" _Explain_ ," Ranger ordered.

"You know, I'd think being three kids into our relationship ... you'd be a little less _boss-_ like. Julie, Matty, and Ty, really should've mellowed you out some by now."

"Wow. You actually said that with a straight face, Steph," Bobby noticed. "I'm impressed. You know as well as I do that having _more_ people to look after would make The Boss _more_ of one ... not less. His protective instincts are _no joke_."

"That can be said about _all_ of you," I told him, before turning to Ranger. "You would've approved. Bobby was as annoyed as you would've been and acted accordingly."

"Both 'bad guys'," Bobby began, changing his choice of words and his tone, when he saw Matty coming back to us with a balloon for me to try, "were - and will soon be - dealt with. Vince is already working on getting me an address for the party-crasher. I would've ended him before he could take off, but I wasn't about to leave Steph."

"I was holding my own," I had to say. "But I get why you weren't willing to chase the idiot down."

"Those aren't enough details. _Babe?_ "

Knowing that having the entire story keeps Ranger calm, I gave him the information he needed, but altered the recount for Matty's sake. He knows his Daddy, Uncles, and I, arrest 'the bad guys', but he's too little to understand that sometimes that involves getting a gun or two pointed at us. If _I'm_ uncomfortable with the thought of that, I'm sure as hell not going to burden my baby with that visual.

"Our skip had a potty mouth so I felt I had to teach him a little respect ... especially towards women," I shared.

"You would've been grinning from ear-to-ear, Ranger, if you got to watch Steph take Mealgan down," Bobby added. "I know _I_ was proud as hell of her."

"To put a 'complete' on this job, I may have dropped a name ... _yours_ specifically," I continued, "when a friend of Mealgan's wanted us to set our already-caught FTA free."

Ranger cut his eyes to Bobby. "She did a good job of scaring the crap outta him," my partner assured him. "And I swear Steph wasn't in danger. Both would've had to go through me to get close to her."

I jiggled Ty a little and leaned in to try to get an actual laugh out of him. His distinct grin that includes a double-eye crinkle, I found myself replicating when he scrunched his cheeks up so much in amusement, I lost sight of his baby blues.

" _Tyze soundzez funny_ ," Matty noted, going up on the toes of his sneakers to try to locate the source of the gurgly-giggly noises.

"Tyler can't form actual words like you can yet," his Daddy explained. "He has to work extra hard just to make sounds to tell Mama that he loves when she holds him."

Our little man nodded while he fully mulled that over. " _I likes Mama huggzing meez_."

" _Oooooh_ , those are definitely hugging words, Matty. Ty and I are parking it so I can have an arm free to squeeze you," I warned him, walking over to the play-corner that's been designated for him in Ranger's office.

"You may wanna run, M.J.," Uncle Bobby unhelpfully suggested. "I've seen what your Mama can do. She's pretty tough."

"My mini-man isn't scared of me. Are you, Matty?"

Instead of answering, he made my chest tight when he darted over to me and slid his body under the arm I held out to him. His hug literally kept my heart inside my body when it felt ready to burst out of it.

"Thank you. I needed that hug," I told him. "I really missed you guys when I was gone with Uncle Bobby."

I moved Ty to my drawn-up legs so I could suck up the cuteness of both boys without having to give up either one.

"Now that you _are_ home ... _safely_ ," my hubby told me, "you can open what was delivered today while you were away from the building."

He nodded to Bobby to retrieve whatever it was. While I waited, Matty and I tried out our 'funny faces' to see which one of us Ty reacts to the most. At one point, I repeatedly kissed Ty's nose and cheeks, and didn't stop until the dimples I'm in love with appeared between his squishy cheeks and tiny chin.

"You're going to be a heart-stealer just like your big brother is when those teeth of yours come in. Though I can definitely say you've got my heart in your crosshairs already." I cut my eyes to Ranger and Bobby. "Don't you dare make fun of me for saying something like that. It's nauseating I know, but also true."

"I'll shoot Brown if he tries, Babe. Don't worry about it."

"She was including _you_ in that order too," Bobby pointed out.

"Ty, Matty, and I, will take that box now," I said, "if _you boys_ are done playing."

"Your wish is my command, Milady," my work partner-of-the-day said, with a dramatic bow to irritate my hubby.

Ranger grabbed the box from him before I could and shoved Bobby out of our personal space. "For someone who almost got my wife into _a situation_ today, you're acting unwisely cocky."

That shut Bobby up, and I hid a smile by looking down at the box.

" _Hey!_ It's already open," I told them what they clearly already know.

"Do you think anything that would get close to my family wouldn't be thoroughly searched first?" Ranger asked me.

"Well, no. But you guys do such a great job of making us feel safe, I sometimes forget who we are, what we've done, and the people we've ticked off. Since you know what's inside, is it kid-friendly so Matty can be my other hand and help me pull the stuff out?"

"Half of it is intended for him, so yes," Ranger answered.

"You hear that, Matty? Would you like to help Mama see what's inside?"

His chest puffed up with importance. " _I can dooz it_."

"Thank you. Wait ... did you order them something without me knowing?" I asked 'The Boss'.

"No. You could call these a thank you gift from someone I helped recently."

"Someone you know?"

"Yes. He's a friend who needed my services to remove a threat from his family's lives."

I smiled. "That explains there being something for Matty."

"You can stop searching for a return address. You won't find one."

"Sorry. Old nosiness habits die hard ... and sometimes they don't die at all. Guess 'the Mystery Uncle' is familiar enough with our family to know that Matty is artistic. And giving Ty-guy a spotted dog blanket/toy is another hint that this person isn't a stranger."

"I told you about the job when it happened.I left out specifics for _your_ safety, _not theirs_."

"Okay, okay ... I'll stop trying to guess who the sender is and just ask you to pass along our thanks. It's sweet that they sent their appreciation via our boys. You like your doggy blanket, don't you, Ty?"

Matty paused in watching his Daddy take his new art medium out of its box in order to catch both of Tyler's little crib shoes that resemble sneakers.

" _No kickz Mama, Tyze,"_ Matty instructed his baby brother.

Matthew is as serious and protective as Ranger is, it's like a punch in the gut. Not in a bad way, but both do make my heart pump twice as fast at times.

"Ty wasn't kicking me exactly," I told Matty. "He's so little, he can only move his arms and legs to show you that he's excited. And he's _really_ excited to have his big brother playing with him."

Another trait I love about Matthew, is he always takes a beat to think about everything and how he feels about it. He doesn't just agree with somebody for the sake of being nice, he considers all sides and angles and makes up his own mind on the subject. That above all else is what I wanted for my kids aside from them knowing how loved they are ... to be themselves and not feel pressured to act in a way they don't feel comfortable with.

I honestly can't take what a perfect mix he is of the best of his Daddy with some of my less destructive tendencies thrown in. He's attentive, protective, and unapologetically-loving like Ranger is. And he's curious like me ... willing to try everything at least once just so we know we're not missing out on anything. And Matty has a sense of humor that can knock you on your ass when you least expect it. That one, his Daddy and I are both responsible for. Though rare, when I get to experience Ranger-humor, it typically renders me speechless ... while I can have my stoic Soldier literally laughing out loud at times.

Matty's clearly stuck on super-sweet today. He picked up Ty's puppy-faced blanket and bumped puppy and baby brother noses.

" _Wook, Tyze ... itza Pup-Pup for youz_ ," Matty told his brother, holding the material dog close so Ty has a chance to see and feel the comfort toy.

Tyler's reaction to it and Matty's undivided attention towards him is adorable. Ty not only kicked his feet again and waved his arms, his mouth puckered up right before splitting into a huge smile that showed a vast terrain of baby gums.

" _Tyze gots a big smilez_."

I hugged Matty to me. "Yup, and _you_ got it. Ty was aiming that one straight at you."

"You should try recreating it with your new toy," Ranger suggested. "Maybe you can draw one of your super-smiles too while you're at it."

"Ooooh ... that's a good idea. Then Daddy can snap a pic of it afterwards, since it'll be hard to hang this," I said, tapping my fingernail against the neon plastic surrounding a lit-up touch screen, "up on our art gallery/file cabinet."

" _Puedo aparejar encima algo para Matthew_ ," Hector told me, having been near enough to the open door to hear my comment.

"How's your Spanish coming?" I said, as I glanced down at my eldest. "Do _you_ know what Uncle Hector just said? Knowing him, it's something to do with helping us find a way to display whatever you draw on your toy's screen."

"Hector said he can rig up something for Matthew, Babe."

I smiled at the man I used to be terrified of. It seems like so long ago when I was lying in my hospital bed and watched Hector whisper a man-to-little man talk with a then hours-old Matty. He was right there to repeat that male-bonding-moment with Ty too even though Tyler's birthday was an unexpected one. I looked at my boys before running my eyes around those in the office and then out the door leading to the men in the control room. It hit me then how much we've all have gone through together.

I finally put myself out of my self-imposed misery and married Ranger, made two little replicas of him, and then talked to him about 'adopting' Julie in maybe not a _legally_ binding ceremony, but one that would mean a lot to me. And Rex got a fur-brother with Pup-Pup, which is a furry-family Matty's already putting the screws to us to expand in honor of Tyler.

I smiled at Hector. "Gracias, Tío Héctor. Te amamos," I said, trying hard not to screw the words or pronunciation up.

I can barely manage to speak English correctly on my better days, but his slight grin and nod had me feeling like he got the gist that we love him and appreciate everything he does for us.

"Very nice," my hubby told me. "You've been practicing."

"What can I say? I only spend my time doing things I find important. And being able to identify if I'm being complimented or insulted is a _major_ motivator to learn more than I already know."

"My family would insult me long before they'd think about saying anything negative about you," Ranger said to me. "You have nothing to worry about there. Nor with the men here. They know they wouldn't get out of an insult alive."

I grinned at Ty and checked Matty's progress with his now 'Range-famous' circle-headed-representations of those he loves, before flicking my eyes and smile towards my hubby.

"Your family is the best. Not only do they love _you_... they accept all of us strays that enter your life and refuse to leave."

He walked over to me in his very familiar and totally sexy loose-hipped stride, which still has my body sweating in appreciation and anticipation every time I get to witness it. He kissed my head as he ruffled Matty's hair and then tickled under Ty's chin to get his own smile out of our _baby_ /baby.

"My family here and the one in Newark more than accept you," he told me. "It wouldn't surprise me if my presence is requested for an event or family occasion just so they're guaranteed that you'll be there."

I got a deeper understanding of that when Vince stuck his head in Ranger's door. Word around Rangeman takes a beat longer to circulate than in the Burg, solely because the Uncles always say 'Hi' or wave and smile, to or at Matty and Ty before they relay whatever information or question they have for either me or Ranger.

Today's head's up took a few seconds longer because Matty has a new toy to show off to Uncle Vince.

" _Unka Bince! I gotz wightz up pictoors!_ "

"Cool. You know, when I was a little guy like you, I didn't have any toys that lit up. Can I see what you drew?"

My baby left my side to show Vince his interpretation of Tyler. Everyone tells Ranger and I, collectively or separately, that we make really cute kids, so I file the more jack o' lantern-looking faces Matty favors under the 'artistic expression' or 'creative license' category.

Instead of being pissed and cracking some heads because his men aren't acting like the robots they're always accused of being, Ranger's more amused with how invested the guys are in our kids. They will all be amazing dads someday, and I thank our kids and Ranger for helping them see that.

"Good job, M.J.," Vince said, with the second hair tousle I've witnessed just during the time I've been back.

It's no wonder Matty's _thick hair_ becomes _spiky hair_ between the hours from breakfast to bathtime.

"You even managed to work in Ty's lopsided grin," Vince continued with a sweet comment about a two-year-old's art ability.

No one except me can tell Ranger's mentally smiling, so Vince's spine snapped back into an upright position when my hubby spoke. "Is there something I needed to know?" He asked Vince.

Vince's face took on the pink tinge of embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. Sorry."

"You don't ever have to apologize for taking time out for our kids," I butted in to say. "We appreciate it. Don't we, Ty-guy?" I sat Tyler up so he was facing the room instead of just me to send a wave to 'Uncle Vince' using the teeny fist.

He grinned at us and then flipped his Rangeguy-switch. "Diego's pulling through the front gate. The control room wasn't told to expect him, so I thought you'd want to know."

"Thank you," my hubby said. "Surprise appearances by my little brother usually lead to interesting conversations."

"Ones we should worry about?" I asked him.

"Not typically."

"Just checking. Guess what, Matty? Uncle Diego is coming to see you. And you too, Ty," I said to our boys. "How excited are we?"

My little man showed us his 'We're gonna have fun' happy dance, with a few butt-shaking moves I may have to ask Matty to teach me. Ty was just happy with another kiss and a full-body cuddle.

"I'll be right back," Ranger told me, helping me and Ty to my feet first. "Matty, do you and Pup-Pup want go down and greet Uncle Diego with me?"

" _I goes and getz himz!_ "

"Okay," I said, "but bring Daddy along as your backup. Uncle Diego may decide to take off with you to the nearest toy store without even visiting us first."

"Not likely, Babe. Diego can amuse our kids, but he's still a ways away from taking them on full-time."

I nodded. "Go ahead and complete your mission, Matty-Man."

He came back sitting on Diego's arm with Pup-Pup barking and running in a happy circle around them.

"Hey ... look what I found. Even though they brought me up to _your_ home, I'm thinking of taking everyone back to mine when I leave, well except for the big glowering one over there," my bro-in-law teased.

"First, no one can take Ranger away from me and live to tell about it," was my response. "And second, see number one and add Matty, Ty, and Pup-Pup to it. It took me too long to get what I have now, and I'm not giving it up."

"Got it. You don't share," he said, setting Matty on his feet by me and dropping a kiss on my head despite Ranger watching.

" _I_ don't share, either. Keep your lips off my wife," my guy stated, as Diego sets his sights on Ty next.

He picked up Tyler and reenacted the head-kiss, his littlest nephew being the recipient this time. "I promise, I won't kiss Steph even once during our afternoon together. I'm here to borrow you for an hour ... or for however long this takes," he informed me. "Maybe you should just put my name over your afternoon."

While my body is now free to be all his again, Ranger tucked me to his side. Matty had run to get Diego a balloon to eat, with Pup-Pup, Vince, Hector, and now Tank, acting as chaperones so the time's right for Ranger to threaten and intimidate his little brother without being considered a bad example.

"You're not getting my wife," he said. He glanced down at my upturned face. "I was wrong. We _do_ need to worry about surprise visits now."

"But this is a good one," Diego said, sitting down in Ranger's 'client chair' while keeping hold of Ty and listening to Matty explain that the balloon is okay to bite, after our little boy returned with a fresh balloon treat for his Uncle.

"I got to celebrate coming home from a job with one. They're really not bad," I assured him. "I finished mine."

"That's not saying much, Steph," Diego said, "you eat a ton of weird crap."

"Someone's sounding a lot like a chicken," I teased.

The Manoso eyes so much like Ranger's, though lacking the _I-survived-hell_ depth, remained skeptical. But Diego's willing to do anything for his niece and two nephews, so he took a bite with little more than a brief inspection.

"This is the first time I've ever eaten a decoration, but I'm not against it," he told Matty. "I hope you kept the recipe handy, Matty. I'm hoping to need some."

"What's going on?" Ranger asked, settling Matty on his lap in their 'Big Boss Chair'.

Not having a baby, a husband, or a gun, to hold had me taking a second to figure out what to do with myself. I rebounded quickly though and went on the attack ... sensing some big news coming.

"What are we hoping to celebrate?" I asked Diego.

"I'm ready to pop 'the question' and I need _you_ to help me find _the ring_."

I was shocked speechless for a minute, but the expression in Ranger's eyes had me pausing longer ... waiting to hear what he wanted to say.

" _I'm_ the one who bought just about every piece of jewelry Stephanie owns ... yet you want her advice on what to choose?" My hubby asked.

"Yeah. It's helpful to know what a woman likes. Plus, if I take _you_... you'll try to foot the bill. I've been putting money aside for months for this particular purchase, I'm not letting you steal my thunder now."

"If you ask my wife's opinion," Ranger warned his brother, "you'll end up with something that comes out of a fifty-cent machine. She's that unimpressed with jewelry. Is that really the way you want to start your lifelong promise to your future wife?"

"Wait a minute here _,_ " I interrupted. "Not needing something on my finger that costs the same amount as a down payment on a house is _not_ a bad character trait."

"It's not, Babe. But you also have trouble accepting everything you deserve. I still say if it weren't for active pregnancy hormones, I never would have gotten any of those rings on your fingers."

Diego glanced at my hands and I had to fight the urge to hide them. "I wasn't pregnant anymore when I put tributes to our kids and you on my skin with permanent ink. You underestimate your affect on me and your own persistence and irresistibility. I wear these rings and your other gifts proudly because they're what you wanted me to have," I pointed out. "And Leilani will feel the same about whatever Diego chooses. He doesn't have to declare bankruptcy to show that he loves her. Diego, you're smart to choose _me_ as your shopping buddy."

My hubby was shaking his head. "Neither one of you should be trusted with a buy this monumental. I'll drive," he told Diego.

"I knew you'd say something like that. Matty, do you want to come shopping with Uncle Diego, Daddy, and I? Or would you rather see who gets Matty-duty today? I know Ty will enjoy a car ride regardless of where we're going."

" _I goes wiff youves_ ," Matty decided, knowing there is always an adventure to be had with us all together.

"You heard the man, ring-shopping is going to be a family affair," I said, siding with my baby.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Ranger asked his brother. "Don't put either of you through a proposal if you have even a hint of doubt in your mind. It's not fair to start a life on a hesitation."

I understand why my hubby asked him that. Diego hasn't shared much about his personal life once he got serious about someone, but Marie and Ranger's sister Isabel have been slipping us details here and there. So I know he and Leilani had been friends, that met through mutual friends before they started casually dating each other. Then shit got real for awhile before both decided to take a break to slow things down. When they decided time apart sucked, they became inseparable. Hearing that he's ready to get married surprised me, but oddly enough didn't shock me. I've been where he is myself. I dragged my feet about admitting to being in love with Ranger, but nothing could've stood between us after I did.

"Did _you_ doubt Steph was the one?" Diego counter-asked.

"She _IS_ the one. And she always will be. And no ... I had no doubt about that five minutes after I met her."

I had to stop what I was doing and thinking just to kiss him for that admittance. "Thank you," I told him. "I had no doubts either when I finally gave myself permission to feel the way I wanted to. _You're_ the guy I'd always describe whenever Mary Lou and Valerie would make me play their stupid 'Who I want to marry' game when were kids. Though you're way hotter - and loving in a way I didn't know how to picture, let alone put an order in for - than what I'd described way back then."

"We're supposed to be talking about _me_ tying the knot," Diego complained, "not how _you two_ keep yours tied tightly."

"Maybe you should stop whining and start taking notes," my dream guy advised. "You're going to need all the help you can get."

"Diego's a good guy," I reminded Ranger. "Leilani is lucky."

"I'll be the lucky one if she actually says yes."

"Is there a chance she won't?"

"There's _always_ a chance. That's why I'm doing it somewhere private, with only the two of you knowing that I'm planning this. If she turns me down, I'll only have Carlos giving me hell over it."

"You know I wouldn't do that when it comes to something this important. I know how it feels to have to wait for the right time for the woman you love to agree to be yours forever."

"Grab your Dad, Matty, and let's hit the road," Diego suggested. "Mama and Daddy are starting to get distracted again."

"You're more of a baby than Tyler is," Ranger noted. "Matty, do you need to go potty first? We can grab your pack, get a bottle for your brother and everyone's coats, after we make a pitstop for you in the big guy bathroom."

"Crap. Maybe I'm insane for thinking of starting a family," Diego said while my guys went to handle business and I freed him from Ty's clutches. "Does it always take this much time and talk to get out the door?"

"This is a streamlined version of it, since Matty and Ty's stuff for the day is either in the mini 'rucksack' Matty has, or in the fridge over there in the control room's kitchen. If you want to experience hectic, you should see us in the morning before we come down here and right before bedtime."

"That settles it," he said. "I'm _only_ having _one_ kid. Not six like my parents or your three. You are all _crazy_. There's too much work involved with multiples."

I patted my brother-in-law's shoulder in sympathy. "I swore I wasn't going to have even one. Now I'm a mom of three. Look at this face," I said, gently catching Ty's chin between my thumb and index finger. "How could you _not_ want more than one of these?"

"So you and my brother _planned_ to have Tyler?"

"Maybe not _verbally,_ but Ranger and I celebrated all over again when my doctor confirmed our suspicions. There were no nerves this time, just excitement. I can admit though, in both Matty and Ty's cases, it was _Ranger's_ face I couldn't resist."

"I'd say you still can't, considering how your eyes just shot to him when he walked back in here."

"Guilty as charged," I said, taking Ty's outerwear from my hubby. "Let's get you engaged before we seriously discuss babies other than ours. One of us should try for a traditional order."

We left Pup-Pup on five to keep Tank out of trouble and we eventually made it down to the garage without any Manoso getting injured. I buckled Matty into his seat as Ranger settled Ty's car seat into its base. We had to use our family fleet vehicle so we could all travel together. Diego was sitting with his nephews in the back, and I believe not just because Ranger shot him a look when I offered to let him ride shotgun.

"Matty and I have this car book to read to Tyler. You go ahead and keep my brother company. I prefer the guys back here," Diego said to me. "I learned that Carlos _just drives_ when he drives. I need more interactive car-time like I'll be getting with my nephews."

Ranger cut his eyes to me. "He's annoying, but he does provide free child care."

"He's more adorable than annoying," I said, just to be the annoying one.

"Thanks a lot, Steph," I heard from the backseat.

"You know I love you, Diego. So ... where are we going? The mall? A jewelry store? Some hidden conflict-free diamond mine where Ranger likely gets any and all jewelry he feels I need?"

"Any gift I _want you to have_ , Babe," he corrected.

"That's what I said," I told him.

"We're going to the man I use. He's located in West Winsor."

"Should I be concerned that you have a _car_ guy, a _tech_ guy, _weapons_ guy, and now a known jewelry guy twenty-minutes away from the Rangeman building?"

" _Concerned?_ No. _Remain aware that he exists_? Yes. He can be called day or night."

"Good thing I only have ten fingers, two wrists, and one neck," I replied.

I don't trust the grin he shot me. "You also have two ankles, two ears, and ten toes. And there's always room for an upgrade to what you already have."

I opened my mouth to tell him _no there isn't,_ but one of Ty's stuffed rattles suddenly made an appearance in the front seat when it should still be in either Tyler or Diego's hand.

"Can you wait until _after_ I get the ring before you start arguing with my brother?" Diego asked me. "I prefer for him to be in a good mood, not a grouch for this trip."

Than explained who threw the toy. Not that I questioned it. Matty is too well-behaved to have done it. Diego, however, needs a few more years to reach full maturity. I may need to give Leilani a crash course in all things Diego after she says yes but before their actual wedding.

"I'm not arguing with Ranger, nor am I going to. I was just going to point out that we have three kids to take care of now, he doesn't need to waste money changing what I love and honestly don't want messed with or replaced."

"Duly noted, Steph," my hubby told me. "But showing you how much I love and appreciate you is _never_ a waste."

"I'm writing this down," my brother-in-law told us. "I need some pointers on how to sidestep an unintentional disagreement."

"You need to hang out with Ranger more often then," I advised. " _He's_ the only one who's been able to talk me out of a mood. Plus, he's never the cause of them. Any crankiness I feel is usually the result of someone else that he then gets stuck with. So you _should_ soak up anything he decides to share with you."

Ranger picked up my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of the one he'd slipped a wedding band on almost three years ago.

"So I should've just gone with him and left you at home so I could pump Carlos for information as we get my errand done?" Diego asked me.

"No. I'm too nosy not to have been part of this. Not to mention, Matty and I are getting pretty good at shopping for people. Right, Matty? We're going to find Uncle Diego exactly what he's looking for. Aren't we?"

I reached my arm behind me into the backseat and smiled when I felt a small hand tap it in agreement. " _Weez gonza getza pwesent_."

"We are, and hopefully you'll get another Aunt out of the deal. The Uncle to Aunt ration isn't very balanced yet."

"Give the men time, Babe. They've only begun to see what's possible for them."

"I just want everyone to have what we do ... but _not_ in the way my mom was pushing on Val and I. It seems so simple, but not a lot of people realize that they have to actually be happy with themselves in order to be happily married to someone else."

"I take that to mean _you're_ happy," Ranger said, not questioned, "because our marriage feels like an incredible one to me."

"I our relationship _is_ an amazing one. I'd say we're both in a really good place ... in our own heads plus in our life together."

Each one of his words felt like a sexy soul-stroke. And I was still feeling it when Ranger pulled into the lot for a nondescript brick building I'd never think housed a fortune in jewels ... which I guess is the point.

Before I had Matty, I'd always wonder what the heck's wrong with the people who would take their kids shopping with them if they had a babysitting option. Now I understand, I thought to myself, as I released Ty from his seat and decided to just keep him cuddled against me as Ranger unbuckled Matty and kept our son's hand tucked securely into his large one as we crossed the parking lot and invaded the store.

"Ah ... Mr. Manoso. So good to see you again," said the little white-haired man who has the barest hint of what I'd guess is a Swedish accent. "It has been some time since we've seen each other last."

"Apparently you can blame _the Missus_ for that one," Diego ' _helpfully_ ' added.

"Ebbe, this is my wife Stephanie, our boys Matthew and baby Tyler. The big baby is my brother Diego.

"It's my honor and a pleasure to meet you all," he said to us. "It always brings me such joy to see the family my treasures are being gifted to. And what a beautiful family _yours_ is, Mr. Manoso."

"You won't hear an argument from me on that one, Ebbe," Ranger told the man.

Ty and I turned to look at him. "You're awful agreeable today. What's going on?"

"Considering how my day could've gone if your apprehension had ended differently, I'm just appreciating the time I have with you."

 _Jesus._ Here I was telling him not to buy me anything else, and now I'm thinking of looking around for something for _him_ before we leave. I never forget that I really don't deserve him, but the knowledge of that felt a bit heavier right now.

"So what are we looking for today?" Ebbe the jewelry-guy asked Ranger.

"Diego is interested in what you have for engagement rings that are as rare a find as the woman who'll likely agree to put up with him on a daily basis."

Ebbe's hands came together in obvious excitement. "Oooooh an upcoming engagement. How thrilling! Do you have an idea of what you or your beloved would be interested in?"

"I was thinking simple, classy, and so beautiful it affects her breathing a little … a gold band and as big a rock as I can afford. _Don't_ , Carlos," Diego said to Ranger. "You _are not_ helping me with this. I'll figure out what to do after I find the right ring."

The look my hubby shot Ebbe means Diego will be getting help if he needs it without _him_ needing to know that the prices on everything Ebbe has will magically match whatever Diego can afford. Ranger may have doubted his little brother's readiness to settle down, but the sense of peace that immediately nixed Diego's nerves when one particular ring was taken out of the super-secure case, showed that he has been thinking _very seriously_ about this life-change and is now just impatient to make it official.

I tried to pay attention while Ebbe was talking ... rose gold band, two-carat diamond, pave diamonds that make the thin band glitter, but I got distracted by Ty smiling at me when I kissed his fingertips. I kissed my baby, completely happy in this moment and only tuned back into the conversation when my 'Mom-sense' noted Diego passing Matty - who he had picked up so Matthew could see inside the cases - to Ranger. I should be grateful that he put my son in safe hands before he zeroed in on the new piece of jewelry being held up for his consideration.

" _That's it!_ " My brother-in-law told Ebbe. "That's the one. Box it up. I'm taking it home with me so Leilani can be wearing it tomorrow."

"Hold on a sec, don't you need our opinion on it first?" I asked him.

"I thought I would, but this is it. Pink is her favorite color and when the light hits this one just right ... the color reminds me of the pink roses I gave her on her birthday. It'll work to my advantage if she remembers that day too."

"Okay, then. Well, boys ... looks like we just came along for the ride," I said to Matty and Ty.

Ebbe disappeared to see if he had a keepsake box like the one Ranger suggested. Always ready to help his family accomplish a goal, my guy was hoping Ebbe would have something along the lines of a carved hardwood box with a reminder-rose etched onto the top of it for the ring to be presented in and kept for prosperity afterwards.

"You know I wouldn't use and ditch you, Steph," Diego told me, all smiles again. "Now that I've got you, my nephews, and my big brother with me, how about we keep this date going? Don't they have that play-cafe somewhere around here?"

"Yes," Ranger answered, because of course he knows where everything is at all times ... even kid-friendly coffee places it sounds like.

"I'm up for it," I said. "The now two-boy kid-pack is freshly stocked so Ty's set. Though Matty may miss a nap except for the shut-eye he'll get in the car."

I felt Ranger's eyes on me before he even spoke. As Diego walked with Matty to the counter to pay for his purchase, I had to ask what my hubby's thinking.

"We can just head back home if you want," I offered, not sure if I accepted Diego's day-date offer too soon. "I know bedtime could turn out to be a little more complicated if either of the boys' routine is messed up."

He kissed me before his big hands brushed my chest as he picked up Ty. My hormones are clearly still riding a roller coaster. They got pretty happy when he touched me, and now they were totally annihilated seeing Tyler instinctively curl his body into his Daddy's and Ranger kissing the little bit of forehead peeking out from under the hood of Tyler's baby bomber jacket.

"I wasn't going to turn Diego down, Babe. I do believe sleep is necessary ... especially for our boys, but more important is spending time with those you love whenever you're given the opportunity to."

We don't see any of the Manoso siblings as much as we do our Rangefamily that live and work in the same building we do. And now I know that Ranger is thinking about how one minute, one job, one bullet, can take everything away in the blink of one eye. We can't control everything in our lives, but we can make sure we take advantage of all the time and saves we're given over the course of it.


	5. Chapter 5

**All familiar characters, sayings, or events, belong to Janet. The inevitable mistakes are mine alone.**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Ranger's POV**

"I'm afraid to hear what you're about to say," I said to my wife, despite already knowing what's coming.

Typically, Stephanie listens to everything I say to her whether or not she agrees with it in the end, but today her attention's focused on the two boys she's holding. Matty and an impending-fur ball that I suspect is going to be the newest member of our growing family. Our son wore my wife down and she agreed that we needed to at least meet the remaining puppy in the litter Matthew had heard about via eavesdropping on a few Uncles.

"You know exactly what I'm going to say. Matty was totally right. This little guy needs us. And before you go all sensible-Ranger on me, just remember how proud you are whenever Matty puffs up with pride and a sense of justice when we catch bad guys, and how much you love him when he says he wants to come down to the gym when we go just to be near us while he plays. You have to respect the part of him that wants to right all the wrongs he sees in his world, and this little guy not having a home where he's loved is extremely wrong."

"Wonder where Matthew got that big heart from?" I replied.

She kissed our son's head and smiled at the bundle of skin and short fur curled nose-to-tail in his arms. "Unfortunately for our little man here, he gets a strong moral code and endless compassion from all sides."

Sensing an inevitable end to our only _six_ member family, I had arranged for a visit for four of us to the shelter caring for the litter of puppies Matthew had fixated on, which is now down to a lone puppy he now has set his sights on for his baby brother. Being a father of three and voluntary pet owner was not something I had ever allowed myself to picture. A fractured and limited visitation schedule with Julie had been the best case scenario for so long, but Stephanie blasting her way into my life had made all things seem possible once I gave myself permission to love her.

Because of her willing to sacrifice herself so my daughter could live, I developed a bond that has grown into an unexpectedly-incredible relationship with Julie. And due to Stephanie and Julie's love for - and belief in - me, I could start seeing an actual future for myself that could include a rat, two boys, and a blue-speckled dog. And I've grown more to admit that one more creature added to our everyday mayhem shouldn't alter the chaos too dramatically to argue against this addition.

Tyler's sudden sneeze had me looking back down at him. I grinned at how he seemed to have surprised himself with it. Once he saw that my eyes are on him, he smiled wide enough for me to see that his gums are still free from any signs of baby teeth. He let loose with a new " _Ahhhh yahhh_ " sound as he kicked his legs excitedly. I've seen this on occasion with Julie, and then daily thanks to Matthew, but I still can't get enough of how freely and expressively children love. One kiss to his chubbier cheek can cause a full-body reaction from a dramatic crinkling around his blue eyes down to the curling of his tiny toes.

I pulled my gaze off him when his shifted to his Mama. "Could be Tyler's telling us that he's allergic to the concept of another dog," I teased.

"He is _not_ ," Steph said, even as she looked over at Ty and I to make sure it was a single sneeze, nothing more serious as a cold or virus coming on.

She wants to give Matthew whatever will make him happy, as well as save another 'throwaway' who she sees herself in, but she'll never risk our children's health or safety in order to do it.

"I was kidding, Babe," I assured her. "Tyler's fine."

"That wasn't funny. Matty and I already have our hearts set on taking another little boy home today. I don't even care about how outnumbered Julie and I will be now. I mean look at him! We have Pup-Pup who wears furry urban cammies, and this one's coat is more woodland camo-colored. We couldn't put in an order more perfect for pets for our particular family."

"You don't see a problem looming?" I asked my wife.

"Double the doggy doody like I had mentioned in hopes of dissuading Matty a little?"

"Yes, but also no. And we can all see how well that plan of yours worked, since you and Matthew haven't let the puppy go since we got here and he was brought out for you to see. But I was thinking of how long it's going to take Julie to insist on us adopting something in _her_ name now."

"Crap. You're right. And our daughter has a wicked sense of humor. She'll want a tarantula or an aardvark or something else whose natural habitat is definitely NOT our apartment."

I grinned at her where she was sitting with Matthew in the small office/meeting room. "I wouldn't give her any additional suggestions to what she may think up all on her own."

"I wasn't planning to. I do have a few self-preservation instincts left despite having three kids and now two dogs along with a thankfully immortal hamster. You know, if we ever get desperate for money, we'd make one heck of a reality show."

"No one would believe it even with cameras rolling 24/7," I pointed out.

"I know. We surpass the normal scope of imagination."

The puppy made a mewing sound as he burrowed his muzzle deeper into Matthew's arm, which triggered Tyler into making a similar sound. I moved my son to my shoulder and soothed him with gentle strokes up and down his back until he was back to appearing to dance in place … limbs moving in every conceivable direction all at the same time as I supported him.

"I'm taking that as a sign that our family is ready to head home," Steph said against Matty's head. "Don't you think, Matty-Man?" She'd bent close to the pair and kissed both the furry and spiky heads.

" _We bwings him homez_ ," our son agreed with an emphatic nod of his head.

"Maybe we should have a name to present him to 'The Uncles' with before we get to Rangeman?" My wife said to us. "Ty will likely come up with something less pronounce-able than 'Pup-Pup' if the choice is left up to him."

"You and Tyler are really close, Matty," I said to our son, "what do you think your baby brother would want to name the almost-fur ball?"

" _He's … a ... **Migo**_ ," Matthew declared after thinking about it for a solid thirty seconds, bestowing his own kiss placed carefully between the puppy's ears.

"Oooooh, good choice, Matty, since he's going to be an _amigo_ to Ty, you, and hopefully Pup-Pup. I don't want any fighting among my boys."

"We'll be taking all the necessary precautions to prevent any in-house fighting," I promised her.

"All of your ideas had better work because I'm not willing to give up _any_ member of our family, furry or otherwise. Even your Plan B needs a backup Plan C just in case."

"So I'm to assume your rat isn't going anywhere even if he doesn't appreciate another dog trying to sneak sniffs of him on cage-cleaning days?" I asked, leaning forward and holding onto Tyler's wrist so he can pet his new puppy with the full length of his tiny hand.

"I can promise you that Rex will be moving into _our bedroom_ if you don't be nice to him."

"Sorry, Babe. I'm only willing to tolerate our kids sharing our private space. It's not being subjected to a rodent infestation."

"I can sacrifice a lamp so there will be a space for his home, it'd be smart to keep that in mind. Do you want me to hold Migo, Matty?" Steph asked, as she lifted our son off her lap and put him back down on his Hot Wheels sneakers.

" _I gotz him_."

"Okay, but you'll have to keep a really good hold on him while we walk out to Daddy's car and also for the ride home so he doesn't fall, feel scared, or scare Ty. Are you okay with that job? It isn't a long drive, but still ..."

" _I holdez Migo_."

"Alright. Let's get you and Ty buckled in," I told Matty, "and then you can explain to Pup-Pup why you smell like - and are holding - a dog that isn't him."

" _Pup-Pup will likey Migo_ ," he said, entirely convinced that there will be absolutely no issues with adding another member to the family so soon after Tyler joined it.

"We're about to see how he and the building handles another four-legged running around in it," Steph said, keeping her hands on Matty's shoulders to make sure he stayed close as we left the shelter.

He completed his mission to keep Migo safe on his way his and _our_ forever home. Matthew's face and Migo's entire body were thoroughly inspected the moment the five of us moved quickly through the lobby and stepped off the elevator on five where Tank released his hold on Pup-Pup's collar. Steph and I had switched boys by then and I had Matty's body in front of my own while Stephanie cuddled Tyler, which prompted another round of sound effects from our youngest, who's clearly happy to have his Mama's attention again.

"Guess you didn't change your minds," Tank said, when Matthew's face reemerged from a moving mound of blue fur with Pup-Pup's expression saying they passed his test ... for now.

"Nope. We all knew the outcome going in. Guys, meet Migo ... Matty, Ty, and Pup-Pup's, new friend," Steph told the control room.

"What the hell is he? It's got pretty unusual markings," Lester commented.

"Migo's strictly a _he_ not an _it_ ," my wife was quick to say.

"We were told by the woman who runs the shelter that he's almost entirely a Kai Ken," I informed the room. "As Steph has pointed out to me, Pup-Pup can handle urban warfare with his coat, and Migo has forest ambushes covered with his coloring."

"That's not exactly what I said," Steph told me.

"I paraphrased, Babe."

"And now I'm about to _diaper-change._ I think we've got a delivery that can't be returned to its sender. Can it, Ty-guy?" She asked our baby, who I'd say is trying his damnedest to answer her back with a variety of noises ranging from ' _Aahhs_ ' to satisfied raspberries with plenty of spit bubbles to make his happiness fully known. "I'll be in my office cleaning up my little man-mess if you need me … or you want to get a jump on doody duty."

"I wouldn't want to infringe on your time together," I said, "but I will if you'd like."

I received a kiss for not trying to get out of it. "We're good. Thanks for being willing to take the hit though … _literally_ when it comes to our boys."

My family and I had been back in the building for a grand total of thirty-four minutes - Pup-Pup keeping close watch on Migo whenever he moved or made a sound, Tyler making sure Steph stayed out of trouble, while Matthew shadowed me - before my world exploded once again with one answered-phone call.

" _Carlos?_ Now don't you worry ... she's okay," my mother told me.

Although I know Stephanie is in her office right beside mine, I can even hear Tyler slapping her desk and his excited trills when he did make contact, but I still shot to my feet. I did my best to smile reassuringly at Matthew, who is now diligently building his own Rangeman building in my office with a pile of fabric bricks, and then I crossed to the connecting door to check on Stephanie and illogically make sure she's here and alright even though I know she hasn't left the building since we had all returned to it.

My wife raised her eyebrows in question when she spotted me darkening her doorstep, sensing something's up. I held my index finger up in a ' _I'll tell you in a second_ ' gesture and resumed my phone conversation.

"Who's okay and what happened?" I asked my mother.

Those words got Steph and Ty immediately up on _her_ feet. She ate up the space between us and kept Ty on her hip with both arms wrapped around him while she leaned the other half of her body into mine to offer support as well as to try to hear what's being said.

"Isabel was leaving work and someone tried to grab her as she was walking to her car," Mama Manoso told us.

Every cell in my body was suddenly engulfed in a full-blown and fully-hot rage _. No one_ is allowed to approach my family, let alone go after one with thoughts of hurting them.

"Ranger, you heard your Mom. Isabel is alright," I heard Steph say from what sounded like a distance away.

It took a beat to realize that she's still right beside me and the distance I felt was due to my mind retreating back to the dark side.

"Take a breath, Carlos," my mother said. "You would have been so proud of your little sister. She fought with everything in her, while using everything you taught her. And the marks of defiance she left all across his face, hands, and rib cage, gave the police what they needed to arrest the man responsible within an hour when he chanced a free clinic to get some much-needed medical care. When my babies are angry, the world had better look out."

Although my baby sister fought back and is relatively-okay, and the asshole was quickly arrested, did _not_ make me feel any better. Likely knowing that, Steph went proactive.

" _Matty!_ " She called through the open door. " _I think Daddy needs one of your super-strength hugs right now!"_

"Your wife knows exactly what you need," my mother observed having no choice but to overhear.

"She does," I replied, catching my son's body with one arm as he threw his entire being at me, not questioning that his presence and love for me is needed _STAT_. "Would you like to say 'Hi' to BiBi and tell her what we did today?"

I switched to speaker so he can talk while I tried to calm down further.

" _BiBi!_ " Matty yelled. " _We gotz a Migo!_ "

"You've made a new friend?" Mama Manoso asked him.

"You could say that," I answered. "My wife and son convinced Tyler and I that he needs his own puppy running around our apartment well before he has the same ability."

"My Mateo has such a good heart, just like both of his parents."

"That's what I said earlier. And keep that thought in mind," Steph told her. "We'll be there in under an hour with a vehicle full of therapeutic boys and dogs. Tell Isabel, or maybe _warn_ her, that we're on our way to help ... or at least create a loving distraction with our unique brand of crazy."

"I'll admit it to no one but the two of you, but I could use my entire family around me right now. If things had gone differently ..."

"Don't put yourself through that, Mama," I cut in. "Isabel is tough as hell ... _all_ of your children are. She would have gotten herself home to you no matter the cost or consequence."

"I know, but I should've been there to protect her."

"You can't put your life on hold, worrying about what can or could happen. Isabel is with you now, and Steph, the boys, and I, will be soon. As someone smart once told me ... enjoy and appreciate what you have and don't focus on the possibility of losing it."

"It was different when I said that to you, Carlos, but thank you for parroting it back to me right now. I needed to hear those words."

"You're welcome. We're leaving now. You're definitely not alone in being scared of something happening to your children and you are not alone in overcoming it."

" _Iz not scarwed_ ," Matty informed us, having been temporarily distracted by looking over my shoulder to track Migo's progress between our two offices, with Pup-Pup's nose right on his heels.

"I hope you never will be," Steph told our son, already putting herself in my mother's place. "But Daddy and I will get you through it if you ever are."

God help anyone who even thinks about harming Julie, Matty, or Ty. Jail cell bars wouldn't keep the asshole safe from my wife. Even now, I'll have to keep my eye on her so she doesn't disappear in the crowd of Manosos and go vigilante on the fucker who endangered our children's aunt. I wouldn't stop her because I disapprove of her eye for an eye mindset, more because it's _my_ responsibility to protect my family.

"I love you all," Mama Manoso told us. "Mateo, you make sure you bring your new friend with you. Aunt Isabel will need you, Tyler, and your pets, to cuddle to feel better."

He thought about that for a beat. " _Weez bwings Wex wiff us_?"

My mother's laugh covered her barely-contained sob. "Well, maybe not Rex. He may not enjoy a car ride quite as much as Pup-Pup and your amigo will."

" _Heez Tyze_ _ **MIGO**_ ," Matthew corrected.

"Alright. You can ask Tyler to bring _Migo_ with you for me. Okay?"

"He's already rallying the troops," Steph said, as I reluctantly let Matty go and put him back on his feet.

Our son was headed towards the large dog bed Pup-Pup had finally decided to share with a much smaller Migo. So far so good on the two dogs getting along. Migo cautiously wandering the fifth floor without much fuss after he inspected his new home on Seven, likely gave Pup-Pup the illusion of another integration as peaceful as Tyler's had been.

"That's my boy," Mama Manoso said. "We'll see you soon."

As Steph got Tyler into his coat again and then directed Matty to 'suit up' so to speak, I called Tank. "Steph and I and all the boys are leaving for Newark. Some fucker tried to abduct Isabel and the family is circling the wagons around her."

As expected, the news took a minute to sink in and I could feel the rage quick in forming right after it did. He's known my family for more than half of his life, and hurting a Manoso is a declaration of war in his mind also.

"She okay?"

"She is from what I hear. And the asshole's already been picked up."

"Lucky for him."

"Not for long," I promised. "The police just made it easier for me to locate him."

"I'll get Brown and Santos. We'll be right behind you. No one targets one of ours."

"Mama Manoso will appreciate the added company. She's still in shock."

"You take care of her and your sister. I'll coordinate the rest."

"Family first."

" _Always_ ," he said before disconnecting.

"Tank's coming?" Steph asked, trying to hold onto Tyler while helping Matty get into his outerwear as he was already carrying Migo in fear the puppy would get left behind after he promised his BiBi that everyone except Rex would be showing up at her house.

"Yes. Along with Bobby, Lester, and Cal, I suspect," I told her, taking the handle of Tyler's car seat and getting Pup-Pup's leash.

"Good. I feel a whole lot better and safer when we have our guys around us."

"This hit too close to home for them. Nothing could keep them out of Newark or away from us right now. Abductions are bad enough, when it involves family … it's a time-out from reality until they've dealt with it properly."

I sometimes fear we put too much pressure on Matthew to be the 'Little Boss Man' he desperately wants to be, but he steps into that role even when it's not required, so I let pride for him rule over concern. He kept hold of Migo in his car seat beside Tyler's, while Pup-Pup had the seat behind them all to himself for the almost hour-long ride to Newark. Normally seeing a vehicle following us from the moment we left our building up until we've reached our destination, would have had bullets flying, but today it's a relief to know backup is only feet away.

I parked on the street my parents live on, the driveway already full to capacity due to the siblings who live far closer than I do. Once Steph and I got the boys and our dogs pointed towards the house all at the same time, with some help from the Uncles we brought with us, we could hear voices from inside before I assisted Matty in opening his grandparents' front door and our support system all filed in.

Isabel, who was sitting on the couch flanked by the Manoso parents, looked up when we walked in. For that moment, I looked past the bruises, scrapes, and her tear-swelled eyes, and kept hold of her gaze until I moved across the room to reach for her. She jumped into my arms as I folded mine protectively around her. My chest muffled her sobs and her fists gripped the back of my jacket so forcefully, I could feel her fingernails digging into my skin through the layers of material.

"Thank you for coming," she whispered to me

"You have no reason to thank me. I should've been there," I told her, not appreciating the irony in having talked my mother off this exact ledge just an hour ago.

"I was so scared ..."

"I know you were, but you stayed strong and managed to get yourself to safety. I've never been prouder of you. You alone kept this family from experiencing a loss we wouldn't have recovered from."

"You showed me how to protect myself, Carlos. You know I love you, but I'll always be grateful to you for that. I really don't want to think about what would've happened if I hadn't broken a few of his bones to get myself the hell outta there."

"I don't want to think about that either."

She pulled back and wiped her face with the tissue Steph passed to her. "He's in jail now .. thanks to me, and also Mama who convinced me to report the assault before we came back here. That should be the end of this unless he turns stupid and pleads not guilty. I won't look forward to it, but I'll be ready to explain - in a lot of detail - just how guilty he is."

I nodded, but wouldn't offer a verbal agreement to this situation already being handled. If he did this to _my_ sister, he'll do it to someone else's sister, mother, aunt, or daughter. That's not alright in my mind, and it isn't compatible with the oath I've taken to protect the innocent. If he gets out tomorrow or five years from now, he'll hurt someone again. I refuse to allow that to happen.

" _Don't cwry, Awnie Bell_ ," Matthew said to Isabel.

As he always does, Matty inspired a smile in anyone he's looking at. "I definitely can't cry when my nephews are here. Can I? I love when you and Tyler come visit us. No matter how many times I see you, it isn't enough."

" _Tyze gotz a Migo_ ," Matty shared, grabbing Isabel's hand and pulling her towards the couch where my mother is making faces at Tyler and Diego is now holding Migo.

"You got Ty an amigo … a friend?" she asked, backburnering her trauma in hopes of a little family healing.

Matty patiently explained again. " _He's a ..._ _ **Migo**_ **,"** he over-emphasized.

"All the cool kids drop the As for their amigos," Steph teased, "making them ' _migos_ '."

"He's the cutest thing," my little sister declared, going for some canine therapy. "And here I was thinking Pup-Pup was the most adorable puppy I've seen."

At that moment, Migo stretched his front legs out as he yawned, causing a universal 'Awww' when his paws splayed and then retracted when he curled up again.

"Pup-Pup's not a puppy anymore, so it's alright if we promote him to 'The Most Handsome Dog' and pass his 'Cutest Puppy' title onto Migo," Steph reasoned. "In fact, Pup-Pup may be old enough now to actually be in love ... seeing the eyes he's making at Leilani. Diego, you may be just a distant memory by now, ring or no ring."

"He'd better drool and then quickly move along," Diego said, wedging himself between Leilani and our dog.

Even buried in Pup-Pup's mottled blue fur, we can all see the rose-gold ring Steph, I, and our boys, witnessed Diego buying for her. And my wife and I had heard all about how Diego almost blew his proposal by not waiting for the romantic dinner he'd had planned for her and the pro-list he'd rehearsed for why she should agree to marry him. Instead, my impatient little brother went to pick her up, but he was already down on one knee and holding the ring up like some kind of sacrifice by the time Leilani opened her door. Once her shock of what was happening wore off, Leilani said yes and then proceeded to tease Diego for not being able to wait.

"Why wait another hour when I already knew exactly what I want. _You_ ," he'd told her, both still standing in her doorway.

That answer definitely didn't hurt his chances of her sticking with her 'Yes' response. It's still odd to think of my immature, bratty little brother being someone's husband, let alone a child or three's father one day, but Leilani has been really good for him, and not only because it stopped his obnoxious flirting with Stephanie which could have gotten him injured if my wife saw him as anything more than an innocent joke. Just Leilani wanting to be here when a Manoso had been hurt, proves she's a member of the family not just the love of Diego's life. Like with Stephanie, she's committing to not only Diego, but our entire family for the long haul.

"There's enough of me to go around. I can love _you_ and _Pup-Pup_ simultaneously," my soon-to-be sister-in-law said.

"I don't share," my brother declared.

"It's in their genes," Steph warned Leilani. "Save yourself some energy and the frustration and adjust to them over-loving their loved ones."

"If you don't show _any_ resistance, you could get one of these too very soon," Diego said, snagging Matty around his middle when he brought Pup-Pup his toy.

"You, Matty, and Pup-Pup, are all amazing guys, but don't push it, Diego," Leilani warned him.

Being a relatively-smart man, he shut the fuck up.

"This is exactly what I needed," Isabel told the room. "Thank you all for coming. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Celia got her into a hug. "Lucky for you, you'll never know what life is like without us. We'll do this and far more for you, Izzy. That jerk should be thanking the police for locking him up so we can't get near him. I swear, knowing that you're okay and in front of us is the _only_ thing keeping us all sane right now."

"Looks like Matty, Ty, and the puppies, haven't calmed you down much, Celia," Celeste said to her.

"If I weren't afraid of freaking my little guys out, I'd be showing how _not calm_ I am about this," Steph shared. "I don't deal well with people I love being scared or hurt."

Since my parents refused to relinquish Tyler, Matthew was tucked in-between Diego and Leilani with Pup-Pup and Matty's 'big boy' phone, and Migo is doing his best to charm Celia, Isabel, and Celeste, even asleep ... I had both arms free to curl around my still-shaking wife.

"Believe me when I say _no one_ here is ready for you to go into a full-blown fury, Babe. I can barely handle it. The men still have nightmares about the last one you were in one."

"Liar," she said, causing a smile to wobble on her lips.

"The Boss ain't joking, Steph," Bobby told her. "Why do you think we're here?"

"You're here because you're good guys who love this family," she countered. "And you want to make sure Isabel is as alright as she claims she is."

"That's true," Lester added, "but we also tagged along to keep an eye on _you_ so you don't decide to sneak out and avenge our Isabel."

"Worried I'll steal your thunder?" My wife asked.

"Damn right. Kicking the crap of bad guys is _our_ thing."

Steph rolled her eyes and I can feel in her body that she's finally relaxing a little in their familiar play. "Making people feel better is _our_ thing. Right, Matty? What do we do when we're having a bad day?"

He looked up from his spot on the couch. " _We cuddlez and we drawz pictoors._ "

"I'm down for some of that," Isabel said. "Can I get a cuddle with you first?"

My gut tightened when Matthew jumped off the cushion and ran towards his Aunt, my little but amazing sister. Much like he did when Cal's cousin died, my son put everything into turning fear, sadness, or the anger someone's feeling, into a feeling of appreciation for being alive to experience everything and every emotion. A gift Stephanie has passed along to him and it looks like to Tyler as well.

As I told my mother earlier on the phone, I'm going to enjoy this time with my family. And after my own is in bed and sound asleep, I'll get busy making sure that fucker doesn't hurt any of them, or anyone else's, ever again.


End file.
